Man facing charges over pigeons

BROOKLINE, Mass., Aug. 17 (UPI) -- A Massachusetts man accused of failing to get rid of hundreds of pigeons said he got rid of the coops but the birds came back on their own.

Edwin Alexanderian, 50, who is due to be arraigned Aug. 24 on charges of failure to eliminate a public health nuisance, maintaining a dwelling that is a nuisance and keeping pigeons without a permit, said he followed the city of Brookline's orders to get rid of his two coops and he released the birds in New Hampshire, but many of the pigeons returned on their own, The Boston Globe reported Wednesday.

Neighbors complained to the city that the uncooped pigeons have been defecating on rooftops, patios and porches.

"The poor neighbors have been suffering," said Pat Maloney, Brookline's chief environmental health inspector.

Alexanderian said he is not feeding the pigeons and has done nothing to keep them on his property.

"Of course I'm not guilty," Alexanderian said. "I don't have any pigeons. I got rid of the coops."

The man said he plans to fight the charges.