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September 24, 2015

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129 facing charges over pigeon racing

Taiwan authorities said yesterday that they would be prosecuting 129 people for illegal gambling on pigeon races 鈥 part of a broader investigation into the sport after animal rights group PETA filed complaints.

More than NT$66.6 million (US$2 million) was seized from the Fengyuan Pigeon Club in the central city of Taichung, according to the district prosecutors office.

US-based People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) submitted the results of its investigation last year to Taiwan authorities, saying pigeon racing killed 1.5 million birds a year on the island.

鈥淭his particular club we found to have gambling offenses but we didn鈥檛 find there鈥檚 a situation of animal abuse,鈥 said Hung Jia-yuan, director of Taichung鈥檚 prosecutors office. However, he said, investigations would continue elsewhere.

The main suspects in the gambling case face a maximum of three years鈥 imprisonment, while others may be fined.

In a raid last month on a pigeon-racing club in the southern city of Kaohsiung, 35 people were prosecuted and about NT$18 million was confiscated.

PETA yesterday commended Taiwan authorities for cracking down on a cruel sport. It said a recent series of races by the Kaohsiung club started with 7,301 birds but had only 36 by the fifth race.


 

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