Belleville, Illinois :(

[shadowbob]

I found this website on friday,and got excited. I have had a small flock of about 25, give or take a couple birds in the past, and really enjoyed them. So I have been searching the web for two days trying to find local ordinances in the town where I live. Unfortunately I found them. I live in Belleville Illinois and this is not what I was hopeing to find; http://www.belleville.net/departments/cityclerk.asp (F) Farm Animals. No person shall keep any goats, pigs, sheep, cattle or other farm animals of any kind anywhere in the City. No person shall raise, maintain or have upon any property within the City any chickens, ducks, geese, guinea hens, pigeons and other similar fowl. This limitation shall not apply to any person or persons within the City limits who on the date of the enactment of this Chapter own farm animals which is at least one hundred fifty (150) feet of any residence other than the residence of the person so keeping or having such animals. This limitation shall not apply to those premises annexed to the City and provided that the farm animals were kept on the premises on the date of such annexation and continuously thereafter; and provided further, that such premises have remained the same size as when first annexed to the City. However, this shall not be construed to allow such person or persons to replace farm animals upon the death or loss of such animal with a like number of farm animals. Violation is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not less than $250. and surrender of all offending animals.
I thought of going the rout of trying to call them pets, but you are only allowed 3 adult anamals as pets in the city limits, and we already have 3 dogs.
I am mad I just might cry. I was just starting to get my hopes up for a couple of chickens.
I hope i posted this in the right place for anyone else who might live in the same town.

 

[paddock36]

How bout a couple of Serama's or Silkies in an inside coop in your garage. Shhhhhhh nobody will know. I can keep a secret if you can.

 

[SuziQ991]

Hey neighbor, so sorry about the ordinance

. Do you have close neighbors? Do you get along with them? Maybe a couple quiet hens??

 

[shadowbob]

I'm not so worried about becoming attached to the birds, it's the fine I don't like. I don't know if it is per incident or per bird,

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

I believe that this is a case of where you need to find out the procedures for changing code, and generate a grass-roots movement to amend the number of pets allowed and allow any animals kept as pets. What is someone wants an aviary of finches--you can humanely keep many in a 2x3x6 aviary--that coveres less of a footprint than many dog houses? How about a tank of fish--a 20 gallon tank can hold quite a few of some small species.