KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 13 — Filmmaker Michael Bay has been charged by Italian authorities over the alleged murder of a pigeon on the set of his 2019 Netflix film, 6 Underground.

Bay has denied the claims by the authorities, making several unsuccessful attempts to clear the case.

"I am a well-known animal lover and major animal activist,” Bay told TheWrap in a statement.

"No animal involved in the production was injured or harmed. Or on any other production I’ve worked on in the past 30 years.”

According to Italian authorities, a homing pigeon was killed by a dolly in the middle of a take during filming in Rome.

The incident was captured in a picture by an anonymous individual who reported it to the authorities.

Bay claimed he had ‘clear video evidence’ and ‘a multitude of witnesses and safety officers’ who would clear him of the charges.

Bay’s legal team have made three attempts in the past year to settle the case out of court but denied the Italian authorities’ offer to pay a small fine.

The Transformers director added that he would not plead guilty to harming an animal.

Italy has national laws to protect its bird species making it illegal to harm, kill or capture any wild bird, pigeons included.

Filming of the Netflix action thriller 6 Underground took place in Rome, Florence, Sienna and Taranto with Ryan Reynolds as its lead star.