We wish a speedy recovery to club member and Vancouver Island resident Mile Petrovic, who was admitted to the hospital recently. We hope to find out more information on how Mile is recovery at our annual general meeting.

Sydney, Australia - In an all too familiar story, Australias oldest racing pigeon club is closing its doors due to falling membership. The Leichhardt Flying Club was established in 1928 and in its heydey had 80 members with new members by invitation only. Now down to only 2 active members the club is disbanding and selling its premises in Sydneys inner city. Club trustee Jock Gray , who joined the club in 1969 after emigrating from Scotland, says the club is overburdened with administrative compliance and the $5500 annual operating cost. The proceeds from the club property, which is listed for sale at $600,000, will be distributed to charities.

Waterloo, Ontario - BDO Canada Ltd, the trustee in bankruptcy for Pigeon King International (PKI), recently advised creditors that it would be at least a year before they see any money and even then it will only be pennies on the dollar. Arlan Galbraith, the founder of PKI, launched his pigeon breeding enterprise in the early 2000s when he recruited farmers in south western Ontario to raise pigeons for him to satisfy a market for squab meat that he would establish and promote. The scheme spread to several US states until over 450 producers had purchased breeders and signed contracts to deliver squabs. The enterprise collapsed in 2008 when it was alleged that Galbraith was running a ponzi scheme where existing producers were being paid from new breeder contracts rather than from the sale of squab meat. BDO Canada Ltd indicated over $15 million in claims have been filed by producers and trade creditors against assets of under $1million. In additional Waterloo Regional Police are still conducting a criminal fraud investigation of Galbraith and his company.

Nanaimo, B.C. - Following Vancouvers lead, the Nanaimo Poultry Collective, a community group formed by individuals who want to see urban backyard chickens legalized, have asked Nanaimo city council to review the animal control by law which does not permit chickens in a lot size less than one acre. The group states the current bylaw permits owners of less than one acre to keep up to three beehives and , if they are a member of a certified pigeon racing club, up to fifty pigeons, so why not chickens? The group has proposed several restrictions, including no roosters, that chickens coops should be located in reasonable locations (such as the corner of a fenced in yard) and that flock sizes and their care should be subject to policing. Vancouver, Victoria, Richmond and Burnaby all have by laws that permit backyard flocks, subject to various restrictions. Nanaimo City Council has agreed to review the possibility of allowing backyard flocks of up to four chickens or ducks but has not amended the bylaw to date.