A case of arson at a dovecote in Sneek has resulted in the death of dozens of doves. The incident took place during the night between December 25 and 26 at a dovecote of pigeon club Scholten Baggel Poelstra.
Surveillance footage shows an individual lighting an object and throwing it into the cage, causing flames to appear immediately. Pascal Poelstra, co-owner of the club, expressed his shock, stating that nearly all the doves perished.
Of the 35 doves, fewer than ten survived, though they inhaled smoke and are unlikely to survive. The birds, valued at thousands of euros and known for participating in high-level competitions, were an asset to the club.
Poelstra has filed a police report and shared the footage on Facebook, where it has been widely shared. The pigeon club is offering a €2,000 reward for information leading to the perpetrator’s arrest.
Poelstra awaits the police investigation and is unsure who might be responsible. This is not the first incident involving doves in Friesland; previous thefts in Steggerda and Harkema resulted in significant financial loss.
The pigeon sport, especially popular in the Netherlands and Belgium, involves substantial financial stakes, with a Belgian racing pigeon auctioned for €1.6 million in 2020.
Source: NOS