Information for Pigeon Owners

In-Ground Soil Burial

• Water Quality Protection
• No burial allowed on 'AA', or organic soils
• Maximum 2500 kg/hole
• Maximum mortality loading density of 5000 kg/ha/year
• Do not bury again in the same spot for at least 10 years
• Minimum 2 m from the burial hole bottom to bedrock or aquifer
• Minimum 50 m setback to drilled wells with a depth at least 15 m, and a watertight casing to a depth of at least 6 m below ground level
• Minimum 250 m setback to a Municipal well
• Minimum 100 m setback to any other well
• Minimum 100 m flowpath to surface water, or tile inlets, and located so as to avoid overland flows
• Minimum 6 m setback to perforated drainage tiles, provided mortalities are buried at an elevation lower than the bottom of tiles
• Maximum 120 days to leave a hole open until it must be filled & closed, starting from the time the first mortality is added to the grave, such as in common graves with mortalities added over time, provided hole is flagged during filling
• Cap, when full of mortalities, above the original ground level with soil to a depth at least 50% of original hole depth, but not less than 0.6 m

Protection against vectors

• Minimum 0.6 m of soil at all times over the mortalities
• Minimum 100 m setback to neighbouring permanent Outdoor Confinement Areas, neighbouring livestock facility, or neighbouring home
• Minimum 30 m setback to nearest road allowance
• Minimum 15 m setback to rear, side or front lot line

Burial holes shall not show signs of scavenging and not be a safety hazard