THERE'S been a major shift in family planning policies in Belgium, where authorities are putting flocks of local pigeons on the contraceptive pill.
Brussels is plagued by tonnes of corrosive pigeon poo, but rather than taking more extreme measures like a cull, the city's management has decided to simply reduce the fertility of the local avian population, according to a report in the UK Telegraph.
The move follows a trial in a particular city square where it was found that distributing contraceptive-laced corn pellets had halved the numbers of so-called "flying rats" over a 10-month period.
The drugged delights are treated with an anti-parasitic called R12 which also prevents eggs from developing.
It's estimated that each bird poos about 12kg of guano each year, resulting in about $25 of clean-up and repair costs per pigeon.
The introduction of the contraceptive program follows the passage of laws in Belgium last month which made it illegal for frustrated locals to catch and kill the birds.
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