📰 Greymouth Pet Store Accused Of Dodgy Trading After Selling Same Pair Of Homing Pigeons 12 Times
GREYMOUTH — Customers reportedly became suspicious after repeatedly buying the same birds and watching them fly straight back to the shop.
Greymouth pet store Second Hand Hamsters & Birds is reportedly under investigation after allegedly selling the same pair of homing pigeons, Harry and Barry, to 12 different customers.
The matter is reportedly being investigated by the New Zealand Small Animal Trading Authority, with investigator Hugh Jabeek describing the case as “one of the more impressive examples of circular commerce we've encountered.”
According to investigators, Harry and Barry were originally sold as a bonded homing-pigeon pair for $240.
Within hours of each sale, however, the birds reportedly flew directly back to Second Hand Hamsters & Birds.
Rather than returning the birds to their previous owners, the shop allegedly placed Harry and Barry back on display and sold them to another customer.
Jabeek said investigators became suspicious after receiving complaints from several customers who all appeared to have purchased the same pigeons.
“We had one bloke saying he'd bought Harry and Barry,” Jabeek said.
“Then another bloke came in saying he'd bought Harry and Barry.”
“Then a third bloke turned up with a receipt for Harry and Barry.”
“At that point we thought, hang on, there's only two bloody pigeons.”
Investigators reportedly discovered that Harry and Barry had allegedly been sold 12 times, generating approximately $2,880 in sales.
The shop has reportedly denied intentionally misleading customers.
A spokesperson for Second Hand Hamsters & Birds said the pigeons simply had “exceptionally strong homing instincts.”
“They kept coming back,” the spokesperson said.
“We can't control where pigeons want to live.”
Jabeek reportedly disagreed.
“No, but you can control whether you sell the same bloody pigeons to 12 people.”
The investigation reportedly became even more complicated when authorities attempted to release Harry and Barry several kilometres from the shop.
The pigeons reportedly flew straight back.
“They were back before we were,” Jabeek said.
“I've never seen anything like it.”
However, not everyone in Greymouth reportedly viewed the alleged trading arrangement negatively.
Local man Tye Tarsoul said he was actually impressed by the efficiency of the operation.
“Got to give them credit,” Tarsoul said.
“Buy two pigeons, sell them, they come back, sell them again.”
“That's not dodgy trading. That's bloody good asset management.”
Tarsoul reportedly said he was considering investing in the business himself.
“If they've got a few more birds that know how to come home, I'm interested.”
Investigators reportedly seized sales records and are examining whether the shop deliberately relied on Harry and Barry's homing instincts to create what Jabeek described as a “perpetual pigeon sales cycle.”
Jabeek said the investigation would continue.
“We're not saying the shop is guilty of anything yet.”
“But if these two birds have been sold 12 times, and every single time they come back to the same shop, someone needs to explain to me how that isn't just selling the same bloody product over and over again.”
At the time of publication, Harry and Barry remained at Second Hand Hamsters & Birds under what investigators described as “informal pigeon supervision.”
The pair were reportedly seen sitting on the shop's roof shortly after investigators left.
Tarsoul reportedly said he remained impressed.
“Honestly, if they can get the pigeons doing it twice a week, I'd be buying shares.”
