The Local Councils’ Association has denied media reports of plans to lure pigeons into cages and poison them as a method of controlling the bird population.

In a statement, the association confirmed that cage-trapping had been chosen as the most sustainable and humane method, coupled with a total ban on feeding pigeons in public places, after a study of various options.

However, it said it had never discussed or agreed to poisoning the captured birds.

“Discussions are ongoing with the environment ministry to ensure that the contractor will be allowed to move the pigeons caught in various localities to Għammieri [the government farm],” association president Mario Fava said. “The association's call does not give the contractor the responsibility to dispose of the pigeons by feeding them poisonous foods.”

The association said it would be continuing discussions with the environment ministry and NGOs to guarantee safeguards for the animals’ rights once the system was introduced.

However, it defended the need for measures to control the pigeon population, stressing the public cleanliness and health problems caused by bird populations and the failure of various entities to act despite local councils’ pleas.

In the past, authorities have organised culling sessions in which the birds were shot out of the sky.

Reports of plans for pigeons to be captured and poisoned had provoked a negative reaction from several stakeholders.

The Democratic Party (PD) described the plans as unethical and urged the authorities to find alternatives.

The MSPCA warned that several poisons were known to produce a long and drawn-out death, and recommended more humane solutions such as building nests which would allow the eggs to be removed and prevented from hatching, proposed by the Commissioner for Animal Welfare in 2017.