Expose to become legal or chance it?

[averytds]

We've had chickens since mid February. Didn't know if it was legal or not. I found out this weekend that it was but we needed to get a permit from the city clerk. So I call city clerks office to see if I could even find anyone who knew where they kept them.

I was told by the clerks office I had to have animal control come out and inspect my facilities first, then he could give or deny permission for a permit. So if I get animal control out here and since I already have the chickens I will most likely get fined and probably then denied a permit.

I found out when I checked the ordinances that I'm actually violating cat and dog ones as well. Moved here from another county and have never dealt with this kind of thing before. My animals were vaccinated but it was done at home. So I don't have the necessary paperwork and I told DH when they were due, then and only then would I go the whole expensive vet, etc. And only for the dogs. A license for indoor cats to me is just silly.

There are also 3 feral kittens in the neighborhood who like our shed sometimes. We don't feed them, but we don't have a problem with them hanging around nor have we made any attempts to catch them. Less mice and snakes. According to the city's ordinances I could be held responsible for them as well.

So getting a permit is not a simple trip to the clerks office anymore and I really don't want an animal control officer invited over.

My other option is to chance it until a later date. After the dogs are done lock the cats and kids up (big mouths) and pull the "Gee sorry, we didn't know we needed a permit." What would you all do?

 

[rooster0209]

I am not sure how you could be held responsible for stray cats that get in your shed. (there is a big difference between stray, untame & feral cats) The only vaccine that city ordinances usually require is rabbies.

As for the license, hide the cats and get the one for the dogs. If the cats are house cats, who is going to know? (that is what I would do)

If you recently moved there, you could use the excuse that I already had the chickens before I realized I needed a permit. How close are your neighbors that anyone would complain because of the chickens? Maybe no one really cares...


btw..if you dont mind the kittens and they are keeping the rodents down, please put some cat food out for them. It keeps them around, healthier and in turn less rats & mice

 

[averytds]

Untame or feral, but not strays. I've never seen them outright, just chance glimpses of them out the window at night. Not even 100% sure they are kittens. There are probably more than 3 but that is all I've counted.

Okay, so there may be food available to them already, but I didn't put it there for them. I was just storing it there.

IOW By allowing them to eat and sleep on my property if they so choose, I'm harboring them and therefore required to trap them and get them vaccinated and get licenses or get animal control to take them according to the city code.

Where we used to live there was a feral cat organization that would help you with that without destroying them. Nothing like that here. I would do the whole trap, vaccinate and fix thing, but these are not the first, surely won't be the last and I can't afford it.

When we couldn't get a straight answer from the city regarding chickens we talked to our neighbors. This was prior to getting the chickens. They all said they didn't care and others in the neighborhood have them. Also, across the street from us is county where there are no restrictions. Two of the ol' timers joke about our little to no egg production. First they said we needed a rooster, then when we said we may actually have 4 they said "Well there's your problem, you're supposed to have hens."

We moved here in September b/c of DH work, but may be moving again next summer. The general consensus of the neighbors and DH is the city people are idiots and worry about it if we get caught.

 

[spatcher]

If you didnt give them any personal info when you called (name, address etc) leave it alone. If you get complaints,which it sounds like you wont, then worry about it. I too vaccinate my dogs myself (parvo,rabies etc) and the "law" says rabies must be administerd by a vet. We have 4 dogs and we feed 3 strays one of which was being picked at by a buzzard when we found her. She is a real "porker" as I speak and I give them all rabies shots every year too. To me, thats being responsible. Ignore them til you really have a problem!

 

[averytds]

I used Skype, so no caller id. When they went for personal info I dodged until finally I pulled the "My kids need something, I'll call back."

Thanks for the input. Where we moved from most everybody vaccinates their own. It was the norm. Not so here. I was starting to wonder if we moved from some strange nether world. LOL

 

[clarktx]

Just a note on the cats. In some places, if you feed an animal, you are legally responsible for it. This is especially true for cats. I really doubt it matters, but you need to be aware that you may not be able to dismiss them as being feral if its obvious you've been feeding them.

Personally, I wouldn't fix something that isn't broke. Unless you want to become semi-pro, selling eggs and whatnot.

 

[jessupfamily]

Go with the "Oh, I'm really sorry, I didn't know. But, I will get right on it, what do I need to do?"

 

[averytds]

I would happily get the permit if I could I mean it's only $2. Clerks office said my chickens would be seized and I would be fined. Then after a year I could reapply for a permit and then get all the legal chickens I want.

I'm sticking with the whole "Sorry I didn't know" and hope the animal control guy is more understanding than the clerks office if they turn up.

I hadn't planned on selling eggs. Though I had planned to give some away when I had more than we needed. I've been approached by so many people about selling them along with stuff from the garden it's unreal. It looks more and more like we will be moving next summer, so hopefully nothing will happen.

 

[crtrlovr]

I wouldn't usually advocate it, but in your case it sounds like it may be best to try to keep "flying under the radar", so to speak... best of luck.