Topgolf faces legal demands over allegations of bird deaths in facility nets

Animal rights activists are pursuing legal action against Topgolf, alleging that the company’s 120-foot-tall netting at its 103 U.S. locations has caused thousands of birds to suffer, be injured, or die over the last eight years.

Nora Marino, president of the nonprofit Legal Action Network for Animals, issued a formal demand for the company to acquire proper equipment to free trapped wildlife using only licensed rescuers. Marino stated that the suffering and death of birds trapped in the nets constitutes an act of animal cruelty, which violates New York state law.

Barbara Walker, president of Tampa Bay Raptor Rescue, estimated that if each of the 103 nets captures an average of five birds annually, approximately 4,120 birds may have been affected over the past eight years. Advocates have reported various incidents, including vultures caught in Florida and hawks entangled in Long Island, where patrons reportedly attempted to drive birds away by blowing horns and throwing golf balls.