Authorities attempted to seize a retiree’s flat after she fed pigeons, and the woman now believes she is the target of a “witch hunt.”
Due to Lora Stock’s failure to pay a $24,072.92 fine for feeding “pet” pigeons from her upper-floor flat, the owner of her South Yarra, Melbourne, home is set to take possession of the property.
The Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal first ordered Ms. Stock to pay the owners company of her apartment building $1,000 for upsetting residents on lower levels with odour and trash.
She objected, and the Supreme Court ordered her to pay the business $20,716.17, with a $5.68 daily increase if she didn’t.
The Herald Sun was given a letter dated May 19, 2022, which stated: “The sum due under the warrant is $24,072.92 plus daily interest of $5.68.”
The auction for the sale of your interest(s) in the aforementioned real estate will be announced if the warrant is not paid by 2 June 2022 or appropriate arrangements are not made with the plaintiff’s attorneys.
Ms. Stock now risks being evicted from her house since she didn’t pay the fee by June 2nd.
In protest at the threatened repossession Ms Stock appeared in a witch costume outside VCAT and held a sign which read: ‘Witch hunt! Persecuted and penalised $24,000 for feeding pigeons by evil VCAT. A crime to be kind!’
Ms Stock said she has fed the pigeons a ‘superior’ diet of grain mixed with garlic and hot spice powder for 15 years after city regulations left them without food.
‘Some (pigeons) have been around 15 years so they’ve become pets, like some people have cats and dogs, and they have become domesticated,’ she told the tribunal.
‘Granted, the number frequenting has gradually increased as a result of council erecting signs in parks prohibiting feeding pigeons.
‘Public housing tenants have also been instructed to not feed pigeons, as a consequence the birds are starving, they simply cannot obtain enough natural feed in the inner city.’
Ms Stock’s neighbours complained the feral birds would flock to the apartments in large numbers in search of food every day, leaving behind a mess of bird poo, feathers, seeds and dust.
The tribunal heard pigeon poo had at times blocked drain pipes and caused dirty water to leak onto apartments below Ms Stock’s.
It also heard birds would sometimes fly into apartments if windows were left open or crash into shut ones.
‘The pigeons in no way interfere with anyone’s life or amenity,’ Ms Stock told the tribunal.