When the subject of strange pets comes up in conversation, people typically mention exotic pets first. Sugar gliders, ferrets, snakes, anything with shock value. However, Larry Burlingame, an eldery man from Missouri, found that people are very surprised to learn that he and his grandsons have been raising homing pigeons and that he now has 40 in a coop in his backyard. The pigeon-raising team started with Caleb and Campbell Nichols, the grandsons, bringing home two pairs of pigeons in 2010, reported the Washington Times.

Though pigeons are very common, they're rarely domesticated. As is very clear from the many tweets from pigeon-haters, people see them as a nuisance, as birds that have become too bold, crafty and brave from living on city streets.

Pigeons are just garbage bats of the sky and I hate them

— JASON (@thejokingwalrus) December 12, 2015

I hate walking by pigeons, I feel like I have to ask them for permission to go thru — flaca (@xoaph) November 12, 2015

However, Burlingame disagees. "They're no different than having a chicken or a dog. They're just fun to play with," he insisted, according to the Washington Times.

Burlingame and his grandsons take out their strongest pigeons in the morning and release them so they can learn to come back home later. Sometimes, they take the birds many miles away to release them. They go back home and wait for them to make their way home. Once, 16 pigeons were released in Tulsa, Okla., 250 miles away from rural Russelfield, Mo., where they live. Eight of the pigeons returned. Though it's sad to see some pigeons go, this is a way for them to weed out those whose navigational instincts are weaker, said one of the Nichols boys, reported the Washington Times.

This unconventional pet hobby has been a way for a grandfather to bond with his grandsons. Take that, pigeon haters!