Got your feathers in a twist? Pigeon sanctuary advertises for a volunteer but says they MUST be vegan… before launching into rant about vegetarians and meat eaters – as legal experts say it could break the law

• EXCLUSIVE: Little Green Pigeon in Stone, Staffordshire, got flood of applicants
• But sparked fury by saying that meat eaters and vegetarians ‘cannot work for us’
• It slammed them for ‘contributing to the abuse and death of billions’ of animals
• Farmers and rural groups say they are incensed with ‘narrow minded’ sanctuary

A bird sanctuary has sparked outrage after posting an advert for a new volunteer – but they have to be vegan.

Little Green Pigeon in Stone, Staffordshire, said it had received a raft of applicants but added meat eaters and vegetarians ‘cannot work for us’.

The post went on to slam them for ‘contributing to the abuse and death of billions’ of animals ‘each day’.

Farmers and rural groups were incensed by the advert, with them blasting the ‘narrow minded’ sanctuary for ‘discriminating based on dietary preference’.

Experts said the Equality Act prevents positive discrimination meaning the employer could be breaking the law.

Little Green Pigeon (pictured, Susan Joyce, who runs it) in Stone, Staffordshire, said it had received a raft of applicants but added meat eaters and vegetarians ‘cannot work for us’

Little Green Pigeon in Stone, Staffordshire, said it had received a raft of applicants but added meat eaters and vegetarians ‘cannot work for us’

Is it legal to tell people not to apply for jobs if they are not vegan?

Experts said it may break the Equality Act to discriminate against someone if they are not vegan.

They said it may also contravene GDPR by asking them to declare their diet or belief before taking on a role.

Emily Kidd, a partner at Kilgannon and Partners, told MailOnline: ‘The Equality Act does prevent positive discrimination.

‘You can’t say only people of a certain characteristic can apply. So you can’t say for example only women can apply.

‘It probably would be a problem due to positive discrimination. It may also be against GDPR.

‘To ask what their diet or belief is is probably an intrusion into their private information.

‘But you can have positive action. So if two people of the same level apply for a job you can chose one person over the other for a particular reason.’

A spokesman for Acas, the workplace experts, added: ‘Employers can ask applicants if they have certain protected characteristics only if they can prove it is crucial for the role.’

They added: ‘If you are planning on doing this, Acas recommends you first take legal advice.’

Responding to applicants, Little Green Pigeon said: ‘Thank you to everyone who has applied for the job, I have already had 15 email applications, you are all fabulous.

‘The reason there is a little question about ”your vegan journey” is that Little Green Pigeon is a vegan run company therefore, unless you are vegan, unfortunately you cannot work for us.

‘Around 10 of you that have applied are vegetarian. I absolutely applaud that, I was a vegetarian for 30 years before I became vegan, for many of us, it’s still a journey.

‘However, unless you are vegan you are wilfully contributing to the abuse and death of billions of cows, hens, cockerels, sheep, goats, geese, ducks, and pigs each day.

‘Emailing saying you are an animal lover but not actually vegan, well… that’s basically not true. That means you love ”some” animals.

‘For example: You can’t love all animals then eat an egg because thousands of male chicks will have been gassed to death AT BIRTH so that that egg can get to your plate.

‘It’s not just about animal cruelty either. Take the leather industry, pigs and cattle are bred for leather, it’s not a byproduct, it’s not a sustainable product on many levels, the main one being that animal hide is heavily treated with toxic chemicals to make it last…

‘If it were sustainable it would biodegrade… your car leather seats would simply decompose like skin does.

‘The cost to the Earth, her waterways and its people is HUGE, the leather industry literally kills aquatic and bird life by the use of chemicals each day, along with causing cancer in humans.

‘So thank you so much for your applications, thank you so much for your ongoing support, I truly value it… but the fact is, unless you have a vegan lifestyle you cannot be part of our journey.’

The Little Green Pigeon was founded by Susan Joyce, a former veterinary nurse, in the Staffordshire countryside seven years ago

The Little Green Pigeon was founded by Susan Joyce, a former veterinary nurse, in the Staffordshire countryside seven years ago.

She says she has been a vegetarian since she was eight and a vegan for the last decade. Her husband Ian has been a vegan for three years.

The not-for-profit business receives birds from ‘rehab groups’ where they are cared for then set free when they recover.

It sells cards and small gifts on its website to make funds which it says is then pumped back into the sanctuary.

Farmers and rural groups were livid with the post, with them asking why it was acceptable to ‘discriminate based on dietary preference’.

A spokesman for the Countryside Alliance said: ‘It cannot be right that any potential candidate is discriminated against for a role based on their dietary preference.

‘This is purely a personal matter and not one that any employer should take issue with or seek to influence.

‘Clearly it does matter whether an employee shares the same values, outlook and aims, as this ultimately determines whether someone would be a good fit.

‘However for any potential employer to state so boldly that a certain group, in this case the vast bulk of the UK population, including vegetarians, will not be considered irrespective of their skill-set does seem unfair and opens employers up to the charge of being narrow minded.’

Experts said the post may have been breaking the Equality Act, adding employers cannot positively discriminate against candidates.

Emily Kidd, a partner at Kilgannon and Partners, told MailOnline: ‘The Equality Act does prevent positive discrimination.

‘You can’t say only people of a certain characteristic can apply. So you can’t say for example only women can apply.

‘It probably would be a problem due to positive discrimination. It may also be against GDPR.

‘To ask what their diet or belief is is probably an intrusion into their private information.

‘But you can have positive action. So if two people of the same level apply for a job you can chose one person over the other for a particular reason.’

A spokesman for Acas, the workplace experts, added: ‘Employers can ask applicants if they have certain protected characteristics only if they can prove it is crucial for the role.’

They added: ‘If you are planning on doing this, Acas recommends you first take legal advice.’

Ms Joyce said the post was for a volunteering position not a full-time role. She has been approached for further comment.

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