Animal welfare campaigners have hit out at Asda after locals complained birds were left trapped in nets at the Dundee Milton store for days.
Locals first complained about the two birds on Friday last week, with the animals still visible when The Courier visited on Monday afternoon.
While legal, property owners who use bird deterrent netting are required to monitor it to check for any damage or trapped animals.
The Foundation for Feathered Friends has written to Asda asking them to remove the birds, which appear to have died, as soon as possible.
It also wants staff at the Milton of Craigie Road store to carry out daily checks of the netting.
Call for anti-bird net ban
The charity, run from Wales by Denise Theophilus, says all netting devices should be banned to prevent birds becoming stuck and suffering “tortuous” deaths.
In a letter to Asda, Ms Theophilus says birds trapped in netting often suffer slow deaths from dehydration and starvation.
She wrote: “Quite frankly, it should turn anyone’s stomach to buy food from premises which are seemingly happy to display decomposing bodies of birds.
“Your staff should be making daily checks of the netting to ensure there are no birds trapped. If they are then arrangements should be made to release them immediately.”
The local who passed details on to Ms Theophilus also complained to the Scottish SPCA, which confirmed it was aware of a report of dead birds.
A spokesperson for Asda said netting was in place to prevent birds being harmed by machinery on the store roof.
A spokesman told The Courier: “The netting was installed to help protect wildlife following several incidents where birds had become injured by the machinery on the roof of the store.
“Since it was installed we have seen a significant reduction in these cases and no concerns have been raised about this netting by the authorities.”
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