Feral pigeons are managed as pests in cities worldwide, with significant welfare implications from the methods used and the conditions urban pigeons experience.
Pigeons caught in nets and gassed or killed experience significant distress. Spike systems that prevent landing cause injury when birds are forced to attempt landing. Leg entanglement in string, fishing line, and cable ties causes partial amputation and prolonged suffering — a welfare crisis that is highly visible in urban areas. Contraceptive feeding programmes control populations humanely without lethal methods.