Transport and Pigeon Welfare Are the Real Priority for Me

But let one thing be clear: for me, the most important issue remains the transport and welfare of our pigeons.

That is where the real priority lies for me.

Animal welfare is regularly brought up. Fine, I have absolutely nothing against that. But then apply it consistently.

For me, animal welfare starts with the conditions in which our pigeons are actually transported. How are they loaded? How many pigeons are placed in a basket? Is there sufficient ventilation? What are the temperatures? Can they all drink properly? What happens during long journeys and, especially, when a truck remains stationary for a longer period?

First make sure all of that is in order.

Because when our transport is carried out correctly and in accordance with the rules, when the pigeons can drink sufficiently, are properly ventilated and arrive at the start healthy and fresh, then based on my many years of experience with racing pigeons I am convinced that well prepared, healthy pigeons are perfectly capable of competing regularly in tough races.

Including races of 500 to 750 km.

Healthy and Recovered Pigeons Must Be Able to Perform

Of course, a fancier has to assess the condition and recovery of every pigeon. Nobody is saying that you should be forced to basket a tired pigeon again. But forcing healthy, well recovered pigeons to stay at home and then presenting that as animal welfare is something I question.

For me, that shows little understanding of conditioning and racing pigeons.

Look at endurance sport in humans. Riders compete in the Tour de France, Giro and Vuelta in tough stages almost every day. Of course, a cyclist is not a pigeon and this is not scientific proof. It simply shows that physical strain does not automatically mean irresponsible practice. Training, condition, recovery and care determine what a body can handle.

It is no different with our pigeons: the caretaker has to take responsibility and only race pigeons that are healthy, fit and sufficiently recovered.

That is why I find it strange that animal welfare is so easily referred to when the subject is racing pigeons every week, while in my opinion there are much more fundamental issues in transport that should be addressed first.

And that is exactly where I want clarity and responsibility.

The Transport Issue Will Also Receive Legal Clarification

The transport issue will also soon be examined further through legal proceedings. I will not speculate about what a judge will decide, but hopefully it will finally become clear where the responsibilities lie.

For me, this is not about personal vendettas. It is about the welfare of our pigeons and fair sport. Those are the two things that must come first for me.

A Race Calendar Should Provide Certainty

And meanwhile, we also have a race calendar that sometimes seems to change as often as the wind.

Fanciers plan their season months in advance. We select pigeons for certain races, build their condition and organise everything around a programme. Surely you should then be able to expect such a race calendar to provide some degree of certainty?

Ramillies, participation zones, my own situation in Putte, the race calendar, transport, animal welfare…

At a certain point, it becomes difficult to keep saying that everything is unrelated.

Were Fair Sport and Transparency Not the Promises?

Were fair sport and transparency not important promises made by this administration?

I increasingly get the impression that certain problems arise from decisions and different interpretations within the structures themselves, after which the ordinary fancier is ultimately confronted with a fait accompli.

Maybe I’m wrong.

But then tell us.

Explain Ramillies. Explain which rules apply and why. Explain why I cannot participate in a local combined competition in my own village when the main clubhouse is located in that same Putte. Explain why a race calendar can constantly change. And above all, provide full transparency about transport and responsibility for the welfare of our pigeons.

Who decides what? Based on which rules? And who carries the responsibility when things go wrong?

Fanciers Are Entitled to Clear Answers

I sincerely regret that, in order to obtain the promised transparency and clarity about the responsibility of the KBDB and its competent bodies, we ultimately have to take further steps.

That should not be necessary at all.

We are members of this federation. We pay our membership fees, invest an enormous amount of time and money in our sport and try to follow the rules. Surely we may at least expect our federation to communicate clearly, apply its own rules consistently and take responsibility for the matters for which it is responsible.

Take Care of Our Pigeons and Protect Fair Sport

For me, in the end, it is very simple:

Take good care of our pigeons and ensure fair sport.

No nice slogans, but action in practice.

So KBDB, when will we finally get the transparency that was promised to us?

Because surely it cannot be the intention that fanciers ultimately have to go to court to get answers that their own federation should actually be giving them itself.

Kris Cleirbaut
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