Albuquerque: a model of urban chicken enlightenment

[Squeaky]

Lots of people knock Albuquerque, New Mexico (USA) for its crime and poverty but the city does one thing very well: it is very generous in its provisions for urban livestock. The city is also rigorous in its defense of animal rights and well-being.

City Ordinances, Chapter 9 (Health, Safety, and Sanitation) is available via www.cabq.gov/living and you have to navigate to an external Web site. Here are the rules in an eggshell:

- You can have up to 15 poultry birds per household,

only one of whom can be a rooster.

- You're not allowed to let any animal go running at large.
- If you take your pet on a walk around the neighborhood, it must be leashed and you have to clean up the droppings.
- You're not allowed to fight or race your chickens but you're allowed to kill and eat meat poultry.

- If you keep birds, indoors or outdoors, you must clean the cage at least once a week.
- Animals cannot be overcrowded and must be provided with enough space. (no factory farms here, HOORAY!)
- Animals must have access to sufficient food, water, and shelter
- Crates are not allowed as outdoor confinement: only a secure fence will do
- If you cook and serve poultry it must be cooked uniformly to at least 165 degrees for safety, you can't do it in a temporary food service vehicle, and you have to wash your hands.

 

[dangerouschicken]

That is one good set of urban chicken laws! WOW!

 

[Cara]

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Just curious as to whether you've visited ABQ. Having laws and having the ability and will to enforce them are two different things unfortunately.

 

[Squeaky]

ABQ law enforcement is overwhelmed in many areas and, shall we say, "selective" or even "creative" in many more. Still it's nice to have one's hiney legally covered.

I've lived in Albuquerque since 1998. I didn't expect to like it here, but it turns out I'm culturally and maybe even genetically biased in favor of anarchy. So I fit right in.

 

[SewingDiva]

Very cool that you can have roos! My town has a great chicken regulation, but even they stop at roosters.

In my town roos need to be kept to 1,000 feet from property lines, and most people live on 1 or 2 acre lots, so that pretty much effectively keeps out roosters.

Hens only need to be 15 feet from property lines.

~Phyllis

 

[fullhouse]

No chicken racing? LOL! Never knew people did that.

 

[tiki244]

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That is interesting!

 

[Squeaky]

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So far as I know they don't; it would take a sick and perverse mind to actually come up with that.

However, being a person with a sick and perverse mind I could imagine people sewing little numbered jerseys for their hens, lining up opposite a finish line with a bunch of crickets bouncing around on the other side, and on the count of 3 releasing the birds to watch them go!

Anyhow, what the Albuquerque ordinance specifically forbids is *animal* racing, except for specific sanctioned horse rases at particular places and times. According to the law on the books, poultry are covered by the word "animal". So: no chicken races for us! Also no pigeon, dog, pig, or camel races.

I kind of think they're more worried about cockfighting, and the ban on animal racing is more targeted at greyhounds or other kinds of illegal gambling.

 

[kinnip]

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[Cara]

Quote:
So far as I know they don't; it would take a sick and perverse mind to actually come up with that.

However, being a person with a sick and perverse mind I could imagine people sewing little numbered jerseys for their hens, lining up opposite a finish line with a bunch of crickets bouncing around on the other side, and on the count of 3 releasing the birds to watch them go!

Anyhow, what the Albuquerque ordinance specifically forbids is *animal* racing, except for specific sanctioned horse rases at particular places and times. According to the law on the books, poultry are covered by the word "animal". So: no chicken races for us! Also no pigeon, dog, pig, or camel races.

I kind of think they're more worried about cockfighting, and the ban on animal racing is more targeted at greyhounds or other kinds of illegal gambling.

There is also a problem with 'street racing' horses

Again it's an illegal gambling issue, and also one of animal welfare as serious injuries often happen and the horses end up abandoned, neglected, or inhumanely euthanized. These horses are often stolen too.