Fishers neighborhood in pigeon dispute - 13 WTHR Indianapolis

A Fishers homeowner has landed in the middle of a neighborhood fight.

People living in the Sumerlin Trails subdivision are at odds about one homeowner's pets. Aldin Redzvelja raises and trains racing pigeons in his garage. Some of his neighbors want his birds to fly away for good.

Some of Redzvelja's neighbors have a serious problem with his pets. As a hobby, the Bosnia native trains racing pigeons out of his garage. It's not just a few birds. Redzvelja has nearly 50.

Neighbor Donnie Whitaker lives two houses away.

"You would think there would be some type of ordinance being in the city limits," he said.

"This is like my blood. Some people like to have a dog. I like to have a bird," explained Redzvelja.

He first built pigeon cages in his backyard. But after a homeowners association violation warning about the structure, he relocated to the garage.

Every day, Redzvelja flies his pigeons for exercise, cleans their cages and prepares food.

Whitaker's problem is that the birds do their business during the daily flyover.

"Pigeon feces is constantly being washed into the drain. The dogs are trying to drink it. I've seen kids get into it. It's dangerous and it's a health hazard," said Whitaker.

Whitaker plans to use the HOA covenant at the next neighborhood meeting to make the argument that the pigeon coop should not be allowed. But not every neighbor agrees.

Fishers mother Stacie Deardoff and her family live across the street from the so-called bird man.

"He takes them in there, shows them; my kids love it," she said.

Aldin has tagged and registered all of his birds with the American Racing Pigeon Union. After flying over the neighborhood, they retreat to the garage on command.

"They don't bother nobody. They do not make noise at night," he said.

Everyone in the Sumerlin Trails subdivision will get the chance to talk about the pet pigeons at the next neighborhood meeting.