A viral video that shows birds being trapped and killed on the rooftop of a Brickell riverfront condo last month has sparked outrage among residents and activists.
The controversy centers on a luxury 36-story building called Neo Vertika, where some units go for more than $700,000. Residents say the homeowners association has failed to clearly explain how birds are being removed from the property.
A petition calling for an end to the current methods has drawn more than 700 signatures, as residents and neighbors question whether the bird killings align with state regulations and humane treatment standards.
“The birds can go in, but they can’t come out,” said Minaaz Sheikh, who lives next door in the Latitude on the River condo. “There’s no shade. It’s inhumane.”
Animal rights group PETA published an action alert following the video, calling the methods inhumane and urging the HOA to adopt nonlethal alternatives.
The video, which was posted on March 19 and has 136,000 views, shows a man crouched over a cage grabbing birds one by one and placing them into a black trash bag before putting the bag into a bucket.
Managers didn’t respond to multiple phone calls seeking comment. When a reporter showed up at the front desk, she was told the office was closed and there would be no response.
It was first reported by Miami New Times on March 19. The paper also claimed condo owners had sent an email to residents claiming animals had been removed humanely. Dade County officials had visited and found no violations of animal welfare or cruelty laws.
New Times quoted neighbor Britteny Rokick who took videos and pictures and was horrified.
“I’d like to relax on my balcony and not feel like I’m looking at a crime scene,” she said.
Jennifer McCarthy, a unit owner who started the petition, said she had obtained a contract from a neighbor. It showed that the vendor was supposed to take the pigeons to another location, rather than killing them.
She said dozens of residents have raised concerns and believes the decision was made without broader input from unit owners.
“They work for us, not the other way around,” McCarthy said. “It’s our money. It’s our say. It’s our property.”
She added: “The issue with the pigeons is a symptom of a much larger issue with the HOAs down here,” McCarthy said. “There’s not much accountability.”
John, a Neo vertika resident and animal lover, said he saw the video online. He said he was shocked to realize the video was taken in his own home. (He asked that his last name not be used because “he didn’t want to be involved.”)
He said the situation has made him reconsider renewing his lease and raised concerns about the treatment of animals.
“They’re not rats of the air,” he said. “They were actually brought here by us. It’s animal cruelty.”
If there was any problem, it is unlikely to repeat. Recent footage from a live cam shared by a neighboring resident from the latitude building shows a cage being removed from the rooftop at 10:30 a.m. this past Saturday.
