TORONTO — A group of men using long poles to bounce tethered pigeons in a residential neighbourhood in Erin has renewed local frustration over private property rights and competing cultural expectations in Ontario’s growing communities.A video posted Tuesday shows the men launching pigeons from elevated platforms and yanking the birds back by short strings tied to their feet when they attempt to fly away. The practice is part of kabutarbazi, a traditional South Asian method of training racing pigeons.The same activity previously led to complaints in the town. Last year, security cameras captured a group of men trespassing on private property at night while engaged in similar training. Residents at the time said the men showed little regard for property boundaries.The latest footage has drawn sharp reactions online, with many questioning why such a practice is being carried out in suburban streets rather than designated areas. Animal-welfare concerns have also surfaced, as the repeated yanking of restrained birds appears stressful to some observers..The practice is well known in Punjab communities. A 2025 Punjabi film titled Kabutarbaaz turned the traditional practice of kabutarbazi into a romantic drama film centred in the world of pigeon racing. In Erin, however, the public display has clashed with local expectations of quiet residential living and respect for private property.Wellington County, like other parts of the Greater Toronto Area’s outer ring, has seen rapid demographic change. Long-time residents say the arrival of large numbers of newcomers has brought visible cultural practices that sometimes collide with established norms around land use, noise and animal treatment.No immediate police response to the newest video has been reported.
