Several animal-welfare groups have banded together to endorse legislation banning live pigeon shoots.

The Humane League of Lancaster, Humane Society of Berks County, Bucks County SPCA, Chester County SPCA, Humane League of Lebanon County and Humane Society of Harrisburg Area are encouraging people to contact their representatives to show support for state House Bill 73.

A news release issued by the organizations states, "This bill bans a practice that no legitimate sportsman can defend as sporting and no defender of animal welfare can stand for."

HB 73 prohibits holding or attending shoots, in addition to purchasing, capturing or breeding pigeons for such a shoot. Each would be charged as a third-degree misdemeanor.

Rep. Mike Sturla, who co-sponsored the bill, said the shoots are simply inhumane.

"I'm a hunter," Sturla, a Lancaster Democrat, said Tuesday, "but this is cruelty, plain and simple."

Sturla said there are too many questions about how the events are conducted.

"Some claim these birds are being trapped, while others say they're bred in captivity," Sturla said. "Are either of these things really OK to do?"

Sturla said legislation to ban live shoots has been introduced each year since organizers ceased the controversial Hegins pigeon shoot in 1999, and said he wasn't sure how it would be received this time.

"It's been around for a long time and hasn't yet made it into law," Sturla said. "That just shows you what kinds of hurdles we're up against."

The legislation is in the hands of the Judiciary Committee for review.

Rep. Tom Creighton, a member of the Judiciary Committee, said the committee has discussed the proposal and will hold hearings throughout the state to get public input.

"The consensus was that we have a lot of problems with the wording," Creighton, a Republican from Rapho Township, said Tuesday. "It's very poorly written, and the terminology is too universal."

Creighton also said he personally disagrees with the proposed punishment of one year in jail and the loss of the right to own a firearm.

"I think it's way too severe and it doesn't fit with the crime," he said.

Creighton, who said he wasn't prepared to weigh in on whether he agrees with the shoots, said the issue should not be a state matter.

Rep. Katie True, also a member of the Judiciary Committee, agreed.

"It should be up to the county in which these events take place," True, an East Hempfield Township Republican, said Tuesday. "It's a local issue, and the state should stay out of it."

Although True said she would never want to attend such an event, many people look at shoots a different way.

"Usually, it seems the local folks support it, and I don't think it's up to me to tell them they can't do it."

Although no pigeon shoots are held in this area, a local club came under fire recently after it held a live turkey shoot, which would not be covered under this proposal.

In January, the Elstonville Sportsmen's Association in Rapho Township was charged with animal cruelty for a shoot held in September during which participants allegedly shot arrows at live turkeys tethered to hay bales.

Club officials said they will fight the charges.

E-mail Jennifer Todd at jtodd@lnpnews.com.