BONN – An animal-rights organisation in Germany called Thursday for a ban on the sport of pigeon racing and homing-pigeon breeding, which would affect an estimated 80,000 pigeon fanciers in Germany.

The European Animal and Nature Protection Association (ETN) accused pigeon fanciers of “brutally culling out” weak birds in favour of fast-flying homing pigeons.

In addition, up to 30 percent losses are common in pigeon races, the Bonn-based group claimed.

The German Carrier Pigeon Association issued a statement calling the group’s charges “absurd and unfounded”.