animal control came and said to get rid of my chickens! - Page 2

Let's go through the list 1. did they bite the mail carrier?  2. Did they killing the neighbors cat?  3.Were you walking them without a leash; and if so did you pick up the doody after them? 4. were you enticing the neighbors to steal your eggs? 5. Were you having a lot of chickens pulling into your driveway at all hours of the day and night?

What are the zoning regulations?
Go for a variance slow up the process. Many time enforcement of  the rules is harder for city government than you think. Find out what you have to do to comply and do that while you argue your case.

Not just the zoning regulations, but also check your animal control ordinances/regulations.  They may have more specific requirements than the zoning ordinances.  These may include as to restrictions on number of chickens, distance from property lines and/or residential structures, etc. 

Make sure that you document everything that you do as far as sanitation, feeding regimes, etc.  Also take pictures of your coop and run areas, make copies of everything and place in a binder to give to the judge as evidence.

If your local ordinances prohibit you from keeping chickens at all, then download articles from the net and publications showing what other communities are doing in favor of your position.  Place those in the notebook for the judges review as well.  The more organized you are, the better prepared you are to defend your position the more likely the judge is to rule in your favor.

I am also having quite the time with my nieghbors.  They have a german shephard, and a yellow lab plus two other small dogs.  The 2 big dogs keep coming over and chasing my chicky's.  I used to not let any of my chickens free range, but after all we do have 7acres and fields all around us....so I decided to let them loose during the day....they go back in at night.  And I lock all the gates.

I have called them numerous times more than I can count to tell them to retrieve their dogs, but to no avail they will not listen.  They show concern on the phone and offered to pay for one of the Roo's they got down, but did not kill.  But I told them, JUST KEEP YOUR DOGS IN YOUR OWN YARD!!!!!  All my dogs STAY IN MY YARD, AND IF THEY DIDN'T I WOULD CORRECT THAT ISSUE!!!
After all they are coming clear across a field just to chase the chickens for no reason.

Night before last my outside dogs were throwing a fit, when I got up to inspect the situation,   IMAGINE THAT: the yellow lab had ripped out the nails holding my fence to one of the barns and was in the pen with chickens....luckily I lock my chickens up faithfully every night!

Called them the next morning, they said they were sorry that they would keep an eye on her, 1hr later guess who was here yet again!!!!!


Needless to say, County sherrif in my area says that you can have at least 3 dogs running loose in the country.  And unless they are threating to bite or have bitten anyone they will not do a thing!!

GOT TO LOVE IRRESPONSIBLE PEOPLE!
Good luck with your nieghbors!           

best of luck!