HALLANDALE BEACH — The property management for a condominium in Hallandale Beach sent out an email to residents announcing they hired a pest management company to deter birds after repeated complaints of bird poop on balconies.

Then they learned that so called bird deterrent is actually poison. Graciella Scariato is an animal lover, and she became extremely concerned when she started seeing birds dying, convulsing, gasping for air and unable to fly. She began documenting the birds’ behavior as some were acting erratically, but for others it was too late. “Nineteen years and I never saw pigeons dead around here, ever,” she said. She even rescued one seagull, rushing it to Pelican Harbor Seabird Station, though the bird did not make it.

“The birds they don’t die right away because I saw how they die and it’s horrible to see,” said Scariato.

She claims the dead and injured birds started appearing in late February.

She received an email on March 10 from management of Parker Tower in Hallandale Beach.

They hired Orkin, a licensed pest management company, to address the serious issue of numerous complaints of bird droppings.

The email clearly states the deterrent methods are humane and that no poisoning or intentional killing is taking place.

“This is not ethical,” said Scariato. “We don’t have any right to kill because animals are pooping on the balconies. And then they say like nothing like they don’t care.”

Hallandale Beach police came out to 3140 South Ocean Drive on March 9 due to Scariato’s complaints.

The property manager explained the pigeons had become a significant nuisance, resulting in over 200 complaints.

The police report shows Orkin using avitrol in pigeon corn to encourage the pigeons to leave the building, claiming the dosage is low, humane and non-lethal.

The problem is, that’s not true.

Two years ago, Local 10 reported on a restaurant at Weston Town Center using avitrol to deter the birds outside their business.

Local 10’s cameras were rolling as birds were seen suffering and dying at the hands of a pest control company using the same poison to scare the birds away.

They also claimed they were told avitrol is safe and humane.

It is not.

A simple search will tell you avitrol is a highly lethal toxic poison, not merely a scaring agent.

Dr. Tess McFeeters from South Florida Wildlife Center cares for poisoned animals daily.

She explained why poisons like that are even called a deterrent?

“Because they are a company that makes money and of course to the public something that’s a deterrent sounds a lot nicer,” she said.

But it’s not nicer if it is deadly, and it’s not just pigeons and seagulls potentially eating the poison.

“It could be an endangered bird eating that neurotoxin and you don’t know that, you have unintended consequences,” said McFeeters.

Local 10 attempted to speak to someone in charge at Parker Tower, but those requests in person and over the phone were ignored.

We were told everything they are doing is legal, and it is, and that avitrol is registered by the EPA and licensed in Florida.

“Avitrol is legal but my point is the cruelty,” said McFeeters. “Why they have to use cruelty.”

There is no antidote for avitrol, so any neurological damage a bird suffers from the poison is permanent.

With no plans to cancel the poison being fed to the birds, there’s one more huge issue Orkin and Parker Tower seem unaware of.

“They don’t have that cognizance of like, ‘Oh, I specifically ate this food from this balcony, I shouldn’t come back to this spot.’ They are a wild species that look for their food and look for the next meal any way that they can get it,” said McFeeters.

That means the birds will always come back. They live there, just like the residents do.