CCTV showing the pensioner running over a pigeon (Picture: East Anglia News Service)
A pensioner seen on CCTV running over a pigeon with his mobility scooter and then finishing it off with his walking stick has insisted he ‘loves animals’.
Melville Shalders, 67, said he killed the bird by accident – and then crushed it because he wanted to put it out of its misery.
‘It wasn’t intentional at all. I’ve worked at an animal sanctuary. I love animals and I’m sorry,’ he told The Sun.
The dad-of-two added: ‘I only did it because the pigeon was in a lot of pain.’
Footage shows the man hit the bird while smoking a cigarette, dragging it several feet under his wheels, while travelling at around 4mph.
Video of the incident went viral after a wildlife group called Peck Savers released it saying they wanted to track down the man.
‘He seemed to swerve to hit a pigeon who was resting on the pavement,’ they claimed. ‘So if anyone knows who he is, or if you witnessed this, please let us know so we can forward the info.’
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web
browser that
supports HTML5
video
Melville Shalders insisted he is an animal lover (Picture: East Anglia News Service)
It happened on the morning November 7 outside a self-proclaimed ‘pigeon-positive’ vegan shop on St Gregory’s Alley, Norwich.
The footage was taken at 10.34 by Tofurei’s shop camera on St Gregory’s Alley, Norwich.
The shop’s owner Jenny Coupland displays a pigeon mural on the shop front and also runs the Facebook page Peck Savers, described as a ‘pro-active pigeon page’.
She has since reported the incident to the police, though her Facebook post acknowledged the man may not have killed the pigeon deliberately.
‘If the man is innocent and has an explanation for his behaviour, that too can also be sorted out with the police,’ she said.
She told the paper she wasn’t convinced by the man’s explanation, saying: ‘It’s about having some basic respect for animals.
‘We don’t set the bar very high but he hasn’t even reached that standard — he doesn’t even think to move the body.’
Norfolk Constabulary earlier said: ‘Police have received a report following an allegation from the member of the public that a motorised scooter has deliberately hit a pigeon.
‘Enquiries are currently ongoing.’
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at [email protected].
For more stories like this, check our news page.
Melville Shalders, 67, said he killed the bird by accident – and then crushed it because he wanted to put it out of its misery.
