ALERT FOR CHICAGO CHICKEN OWNERS

[LindaN]

My timing is awful. I've only had my chickens for about 7 weeks and now I have to deal with this?!

http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/594274,CST-NWS-chicken09.article

I'm trying to get more information on next steps. While this article does note that a proposal was made to extend the scope of the amendment banning the keeping of pigeons in residential areas to include chickens, it does not note whether the proposal was sent a committee or whether it will be up for voting during the next Chicago City Council meeting on Oct. 31. (How ironic is that?!)

Thanks to these boards and you folks who have generously shared resources and experience, I have access to lots of information to help fight this, but I need to know how the proposal will be actioned so I can plan my next steps.

I'll keep you all posted on what I find out. Below is the text of an email I wrote to the reporter who filed this story.

Fran,

Thank you for fliling this story about the proposal to add chickens to the pigeon-banning ordinance. Can you advise what the outcome of the proposal was? Did it get sent to a committee? Are there going to be any opportunities for hearings?

I live on Chicago's far northwest side and I own 3 young hens. They are my pets. Along with the pleasure they give me as pets, they also provide me with fresh eggs every morning. I would be very upset to have to get rid of my lovely chickens and want to act on this issue.

I've been trying to find out what happened at the Sept. 27 city council meeting, but have not had any luck. The City Clerk's online Journal of Proceedings has not been updated to reflect the notes from the Sept. 27 meeting. I've called my local alderman's office (45th) and Alderman Lane's office. Neither has been able to advise me on the next steps. I've also attempted to call the City Clerk's office, but simply get offered a busy signal after choosing the "city ordinance" option on their phone menu.

As you may know, keeping chickens in cities has become increasingly popular. This partly due to the raising interest and awareness in eating locally as a way to promote a "greener" lifestyle. Most progressive cities allow residents to keep chickens. Here's a listing of the ordinances in other cities http://www.sailzora.com/Chicken Laws.htm and some articles about keeping chickens in cities http://www.sailzora.com/articles.htm

Furthermore, Alderman Lane's proposal is really unnecessary. There are already provisions in Chicago's Municpal Code to address the issues she raised in your article.


7-12-300 Ban of unlicensed possession of animals for slaughter.
No person shall own, keep or otherwise possess, or slaughter any sheep, goat, pig, cow or the young of such species, poultry, rabbit, dog, cat, or any other animal, intending to use such animal for food purposes.

This section is applicable to any cult that kills (sacrifices) animals for any type of ritual, regardless of whether or not the flesh or blood of the animal is to be consumed; except that Kosher slaughtering is exempted from this ordinance.

Nothing in this ordinance is to be interpreted as prohibiting any licensed establishment from slaughtering for food purposes any animals which are specifically raised for food purposes.

Agents of the Chicago commission on animal care and control, police officers and humane investigators of any agency licensed by the City of Chicago and/or the Illinois Department of Agriculture for the prevention of cruelty to animals shall have the authority to confiscate any and all animals kept in violation of this ordinance. Enforcement personnel shall have the authority to enter any business premises during normal business hours where an animal or animals described in this ordinance are being housed or kept, but shall only enter domiciles or businesses during nonbusiness hours after obtaining a proper search warrant or permission to enter from the occupant or owner of such premises.

Any person found to have been in violation of this section shall be fined not less than $50.00 nor more than $1,000.00 for each offense. When a person keeps, owns or slaughters more than one animal in violation of this ordinance, the unlawful keeping, owning or slaughtering of each animal will be considered a separate offense for the purposes of this ordinance.

(Prior code § 98-11.1)


I'd appreciate any information you can provide about the next steps on this proposed revision to the ordinance. You can reach me via this email address or on my mobile phone: 773-xxx-xxxx.

Best regards,

Linda xxxx​

 

[SpottedCrow]

That sucks...
It seems like a few people weren't keeping things as clean as it should be...I know it's not easy.
The oldsters should have been grandfathered in. Chicago has a humungous Polish population and I KNOW that we wouldn't be slaughtering our birds just for their blood and whatever else junk was in that article. I can see not being allowed to "sacrifice" animals in the neighbourhood, but as for raising pigeons and chickens for your own enjoyment, I don't have a problem.
Some people just don't like it if you're different and so they cause trouble.

 

[TransplantedTexan]

7-12-300 Ban of unlicensed possession of animals for slaughter.
No person shall own, keep or otherwise possess, or slaughter any sheep, goat, pig, cow or the young of such species, poultry, rabbit, dog, cat, or any other animal, intending to use such animal for food purposes.


The way this and the article reads it is only for those intending to slaughter the animals. It seems to leave out pets.

 

[schlitch]

Actually, it appears to read that if the unlicensed animal provides you food in any way it is banned, hence the 'own, keep or otherwise possess' phrase.

So if you don't raise chickens for their eggs, but pets only then this would not apply. Therefore you take the eggs out of their nests twice daily so that if inspected you can show them there are no eggs being produced.

 

[LindaN]

Thanks for your thoughts.

The proposed amendment would BAN chickens entirely in residential areas. You have to click on the link to the newspaper article to see that.

The email I insterted in my message quoted an ordinance already in place that makes it illegal to raise ANY animal for slaughter, but would allow chickens as pets and for eggs. Apparently, the alderman didn't know about this ordinance or something.

Essentially, as Spotted Crow points out, some folks aren't keeping their chickens and pens clean AND they are also breaking the CURRENT law by killing their chickens. I don't want to have to give up my PET CHICKENS because of this, though.

I think the alderman is actually doing her job here by representing her constituents, however it can be done in ways that don't impact those of us who are obeying the current laws.

Since I was getting nowhere on the phone (calls to City Clerk's office, Alderman Lane's office, and my alderman's office got me no information), I stopped by city hall today during my lunch break (thank goodness I work in the Loop!). I only had to go to two different offices and talk to 4 different people before I found a guy who informed me of how these things work.

It appears I have time to plan my approach since he said it would take months for anything to happen. I just have to be patient until the City Clerk's office gets the Sept. 27 council meeting proceedings published and then I can see what committee it was referred to. I can then petition the committee. Bottom line is it shouldn't be up for vote at the next meeting on Oct. 31, which was my big worry.

 

[eggzettera]

Linda, I am so sorry to hear about this. Do you think any of your neighbors have issues? I know your set up and because of that I know that you are not "I was alerted that some of the people are cutting their heads off in some kind of ritual, letting them run around, then dumping them in hot water, plucking their feathers and cooking them. They're throwing carcasses in the garbage." - (Is it just me or could this be taken as - they "processed" them, cooked them, ate them and threw away the bones - I mean that does sound like a "satanic" ritual right?)


Hopefully this will end as well as it did in a past thread.

Do let us know if there is anything we can do.

Do not suppose that an internet petition signed by non-Chigaco residents, would help at all?

 

[NS2A]

This sounds like good news to me. Last time I was in Chicago, there were murders, rapes, thefts, drug use and cop beatings going down every night.

I'm glad they solved all those problems so they can concentrate on the "real" issues like people keeping a quiet bird to provide real food.

Good luck Linda.

 

[eggzettera]

Good un!

 

[V Chic Chick]

Quote:
That's exactly what I was thinking - although there aren't any satanic rituals that require the killing of chickens, or any other animal for that matter. Remember the satanic panic? When they start talking about killing chickens for food being a "ritual" I get the impression that either a) they don't know what they're on about or b) they're trying to stir up fear.

 

[dlhunicorn]

write OPRAH... since this is in "her" town...
You would be amazed how many dont realize there are "pet" chickens out there