The concerned owner of a Dubbo landmark plagued by pigeons is calling for landlords to tackle the city's problem together.
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Jillian Kilby highlighted the feral birds as a public health risk as she urged cooperation to remove them as a matter of urgency.
The owner of The Exchange Clock Tower and engineer reported that despite thorough measures to expel the pigeons earlier this year, they had returned in numbers of up to 100 within three months.
She told of being on the roof of her Macquarie Street property and being able to see "pigeons on most buildings". Ms Kilby, who bought the heritage property from Telstra last year and embarked on a major restoration of it, urged the city to take the problem seriously.
"This is a public health issue. We can no longer take an out-of-sight, out-of-mind approach," she said.
We can no longer take an out-of-sight, out-of-mind approach.
- Building owner Jillian Kilby
Ms Kilby has undertaken working at heights safety training so she can monitor the unwelcome guests herself.
"Now that I have my certificate, I can keep an eye on the problem from up here, and it's getting worse," she said.
The businesswoman said she assumed most property owners felt "as powerless as I do to control the problem" and urged landlords to join forces.
Together their efforts would be more effective and they could share costs, she said.
"Because if I remove the pigeons from my rooftop, whether it be through noise or light or an eradication program, those pigeons simply become another landlord's, another business owner's problem," she said.
"I think it needs to be a whole-of-street program, a pilot, to remove, relocate, rehome and eradicate the pigeons.
"It's not going to be a simple process, but I would like to see other business owners reach out, other landlords contact me so we can share the cost and come up with a plan together."
Ms Kilby said she thought there was a role for Dubbo Regional Council to play, but she acknowledged the issue was not its responsibility.
"Perhaps they could help to bring together all the building owners so there is collaboration and cost-sharing," she said.
Business owners wishing to work together and share costs on the project can contact Ms Kilby via Jillian@yourexchange.co .
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