Pet shop owner threatened with legal action after feeding wild birds

Antrim pet shop owners Stephen and Jeannie Hanna have been warned that they will face a £60 fine and possible court action should they continue to feed the local birds.

The action from the council came as a shock to the retailers.Stephen said: “We’ve fed the birds for years, we’ve always done it.”

He also added that it was not during the birds’ breeding season and that they are not causing a problem in the town saying “everyone wants to feed the birds”.

Since the Community Protection Notices (CPNs) were introduced in 2014, local councils have had the power to prohibit activity that could be considered to have a detrimental on people’s quality of life.

The introduction of these laws has led to councils issuing fines to people feeding wild birds, even on their own property.