County wants me to remove my ducks

[SolarDuck]

Well, I got a very concerning letter in the mail this morning.

"It has been brought to our attention, and confirmed by a field inspection conducted by this department..............
in that this property which is zoned, Residential, is in apparent violation of;
The keeping and maintaining of ducks within this residentially zoned district.
To correct this violation, it will be necessary to;
OTHER: Remove ducks and coops from the property"



This has put me in a terrible mood, as I tried to find any local laws regarding keeping ducks before I moved here, but was not able to find any at the time.

Let me just say that no matter what, I will not be getting rid of my ducks. If I have to move, that would really suck, but I need my ducks more than anything.

After doing lots of research on local laws and rules regarding fowl and trying to figure out how to make this work. I ended up registering Penguin, Puffin, and Karen with the US Official Service and Support Animal Registration. I had to pay a fee, and talk to a mental health professional, but I was able to get them all certified, and they said that their lawyers will be behind me if I get any more trouble from the city. Their official emotional support cards and certificates will be here within 7-10 business days. The doctor confidently told me to not worry or stress about it anymore because they have my back. After looking into the laws it seems that there is regulations on coops for fowl, and they aren't allowed to be over 6 feet tall for whatever reason...... Mine is 8 or 9 feet tall because I wanted it big enough for me to walk into and clean, but I will probably have to make adjustments to make it cooperative with the code.

Has anyone else dealt with anything like this? I'm trying not to stress too much about it but I really am stressing, it would be very very unfortunate if I had to move due to this.

 

[sourland]

Good luck in resolving this.

 

[MissE]

Well, I got a very concerning letter in the mail this morning.

"It has been brought to our attention, and confirmed by a field inspection conducted by this department..............
in that this property which is zoned, Residential, is in apparent violation of;
The keeping and maintaining of ducks within this residentially zoned district.
To correct this violation, it will be necessary to;
OTHER: Remove ducks and coops from the property"



This has put me in a terrible mood, as I tried to find any local laws regarding keeping ducks before I moved here, but was not able to find any at the time.

Let me just say that no matter what, I will not be getting rid of my ducks. If I have to move, that would really suck, but I need my ducks more than anything.

After doing lots of research on local laws and rules regarding fowl and trying to figure out how to make this work, I ended up registering Penguin, Puffin, and Karen with the US Official Service and Support Animal Registration. I had to pay a fee, and talk to a mental health professional, but I was able to get them all certified, and they said that their lawyers will be behind me if I get any more trouble from the city. Their official emotional support cards and certificates will be here within 7-10 business days. The doctor confidently told me to not worry or stress about it anymore because they have my back. After looking into the laws it seems that there is regulations on coops for fowl, and they aren't allowed to be over 6 feet tall for whatever reason...... Mine is 8 or 9 feet tall because I wanted it big enough for me to walk into and clean, but I will probably have to make adjustments to make it cooperative with the code.

Has anyone else dealt with anything like this? I'm trying not to stress too much about it but I really am stressing, it would be very very unfortunate if I had to move due to this.

Easiest thing to do when researching what is allowed in your area is to call the county or town directly. I know you want your ducks, but listing an animal as a service animal to get around rules only hurts those who really do need service animals.

 

[SolarDuck]

Easiest thing to do when researching what is allowed in your area is to call the county or town directly. I know you want your ducks, but listing an animal as a service animal to get around rules only hurts those who really do need service animals.

That is not the case, they are emotional support animals. It is not to get around any rules.

 

[SolarDuck]

You cannot just buy an emotional support animal you must speak to a mental health professional and be approved by them, which I was. My ducks are my emotional support and the reason I can convince myself to get out of bed every morning and live.

 

[MissE]

That is not the case, they are emotional support animals. It is not to get around any rules.

If you say so, but this:

After doing lots of research on local laws and rules regarding fowl and trying to figure out how to make this work, I ended up registering Penguin, Puffin, and Karen with the US Official Service and Support Animal Registration. I had to pay a fee, and talk to a mental health professional, but I was able to get them all certified,

Makes it sound like a work around when you were found to be in violation of the ordinance.

 

[SolarDuck]

If you say so, but this:


Makes it sound like a work around when you were found to be in violation of the ordinance.

I suppose I can see how it could sound like that. I assure you that is not the case, my ducks have been emotional support animals since I got them I just never had a need to get them officially certified as it was not cheap. I am quite upset even at that suggestion.

 

[CluckerFamily]

I am sorry.
Did the letter give you any more I formation as to why you can’t keep the ducks other than the coop height?
What are the next steps? It it out of your hands and in someone else’s right now?

 

[SolarDuck]

I am sorry.
Did the letter give you any more I formation as to why you can’t keep the ducks other than the coop height?
What are the next steps? It it out of your hands and in someone else’s right now?

The letter did not contain much information, it did not even mention the coop height. I just found that while browsing through county wide chicken rules. The next step is for me to call the city tomorrow and inform them my ducks are certified emotional support animals, and go from there.

 

[CluckerFamily]

The letter did not contain much information, it did not even mention the coop height. I just found that while browsing through county wide chicken rules. The next step is for me to call the city tomorrow and inform them my ducks are certified emotional support animals, and go from there.

Be prepared to be talking to an irrational person. Don’t lose your head or have bad language. You have supports with you and you responding civilly may help you.