(2) Meine Unterschriftensammlung für Taubenschlag Aidenbachstrasse
My Petition for the Aidenbachstrasse Pigeon Loft
English translation below

Die Reaktionen reichten von super positiv bis super negativ, oder auch desinteressiert. Da ich meist mit schweren Taschen per MVV unterwegs bin, und diese Aktion während der heissen Sommertage durchführte, hatte ich Tage, da war ich NICHT in der Verfassung, mir eine blöde Antwort einzufangen. Manchmal konnte ich 15 Unterschriften täglich sammeln, musste dafür jedoch viele "Frösche küssen"(d.h. Menschen ansprechen). Mit der Zeit entwickelte ich einen Blick dafür wer für eine Zusage in Frage kommt.

So konnte ich nun 252 Unterschriften beim Bezirksausschuss BA19 sowie dem Münchner Stadttaubenmanagement einreichen. Mein Bürgerantrag wird nun geprüft. Bitte drückt mir die Däumchen: Den Taubenschlag würde ich ehrenamtlich ohne Aufwandsentschädigung versorgen und die Futterkosten tragen - sofern die Taubenzahl bis zur Errichtung des Taubenschlags noch überschaubar ist - und auch bei der Finanzierung des Taubenschlags unterstützend mitwirken.

Free English translation
While I am certainly no fan of pigeons, letting domestic birds - which is what city pigeons actually are (having been released by breeders: wedding, homing, and racing pigeons) - starve to death is an act of animal cruelty. That is why I decided to collect signatures to present the issue to the district committee and Munich's city pigeon management team. To make quick progress, I opted for "cold outreach" - meaning I approached people in a wide variety of places: right on the street, in supermarket queues by the bottle return machine, in lines at the post office, in shops, at birthday parties, and so on. My pitch was: "Excuse me for approaching you. I am collecting signatures to reduce the city pigeon population at the Aidenbachstrasse bus station by swapping real eggs for decoys." I would then immediately have them sign the list I always carried with me.

Reactions ranged from extremely positive to extremely negative - or simply indifferent. Since I usually travel via public transport carrying heavy bags, and carried out this campaign during the hot summer days, there were days when I was in no state of mind to risk getting a rude response. Sometimes I managed to collect 15 signatures a day, though it required "kissing a lot of frogs" (i.e., approaching people). Over time, I developed an eye for spotting who was likely to agree.

I was thus able to submit 252 signatures to District Committee 19 (BA19) and the Munich City Pigeon Management office. My citizens' proposal is now being reviewed. Please keep your fingers crossed for me: I would maintain the pigeon loft on a voluntary basis - without any expense allowance - and cover the cost of feed (provided the pigeon population remains manageable until the loft is built), as well as help with the financing of the loft itself.

Urban pigeon bus station Aidenbachstrasse