Anger As Pigeons Banned From Flying To France Under New Brexit Rules

Anger As Pigeons Banned From Flying To France Under New Brexit Rules.

A South Yorkshire MP is fighting back against new Brexit rules which see pigeons banned from flying to France.

The rules will stop pigeon racing across the English Channel, and the MP hopes that they can be overturned. Wentworth and Dearn MP John Healey has approached George Eustice, the environment secretary after pigeon racers got in touch with him.

According to The Examiner Live, “new Animal Health Regulations due to come in on April 21 would have required pigeons to have a health certificate signed by a vet and be in the EU for 21 days before release.”

The transition period for the rules has now been extended until October 2021 due to an EU agreement. But France has still decided to require the animal health certificate as member states can apply their own national rules.

Mick McGrevy, aged 73 is a former chairman and life vice-president of the National Flying Club and has owned pigeons for many years. The National Flying Club has members across the UK and races pigeons from France and Spain.

Normally pigeons quickly return home the same day after completing a 500 mile trip in only a few hours. Mick said: “We really want to see this sorted out so we can get back to the racing we enjoy and have been doing for decades.”

John Healey commented: “Owners appreciate the need for stringent regulations for movement into the EU but these birds are low risk and are not being imported, only transported then released.

“This should have been resolved as part of the Brexit terms and now needs an agreement with the EU.

“I want to know what the Secretary of State is doing to try to fix this and I’ve urged him to take this up with his counterpart in France.”

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