Our neighbor complained about us.

[PotterWatch]

We haven't been given a questionnaire at this point. They just mailed us a thing that said there has been a complaint and that if a similar complaint is filed withing the next six months, they will send an officer out to speak with us directly to try and help solve the problem. Basically, it is just saying we need to rectify the issue so they don't have to do anything more. I hope that by calling them and letting them know we only have six hens, no roosters, and that according to what the city code says, we are within the law on our goats, the issue will be solved. My only worry is that there is some code somewhere that I haven't been able to read that says we can't have the goats.

Edited for spelling.

 

[Verboten]

I would be inclined to have the officer come out in the future. If someone else (or the same person?) complains, you can still bring up the code + you will have more time to adapt if you are wrong (I DO NOT doubt that you are right, but in your area it seems that the people who suggest the rules enforce them also ***problem***)

I hope that someone else more local chimes in!

Best of luck to you!

- I would like to add that I am a procrastinator and like to kick problems down the road as far as possible .
edit: -but I also would like to be called a realist

 

[redhen]

I would not call anyone right now....if they come to you(actually knock on your door)..thats differant....but..i'd take all the time they are giving me..and build my case..but..i would not call my attention to them any more than i had to..just my opinion..best of luck!

 

[willowcol]

I would also print out a copy of what you read, so if someone does come by and question you it will be right there to qoute from. That way they can't tell you the law is one thing, if you have them right in front of you. I would not call though, I would get my ducks in a row and get every piece of paper work I could find to prove you are not violating any laws. Then just wait and see what happens.

 

[kstaven]

Sorry to hear you had this happen. I have a neighbor that hates animals, and yet chose to move into an agriculture area. Go figure.

They have been a real thorn in the side of animal control trying to cause problems for me.

 

[PotterWatch]

Maybe I should just call and ask if goats are allowed in the city and if not, see if they can point me towards the code that says so, without mentioning who I am or that I have gotten a notice of course.

 

[WriterofWords]

Most do not allow male goats because of the smell. Female goats don't smell nearly as bad. If it says male specifically and you have no male, they can't change the wording to suit themselves.

 

[ThreeBoysChicks]

Sounds like you did everything to follow the code / law. I sure hope you are able to keep all of your animals. I will keep watching. I know it is a very uneasy feeling when you think you are doing everything correctly and others make it difficult for you.

 

[PortageGirl]

My advice is to have someone else call and ask WHAT the actual list of codes or laws pertaining to keeping pets and animals in the city is, and WHERE they can be accessed at. Don't give an address, and that way if they are asked for a name, it isn't YOU. (could do it using an alias, but I'm a terrible liar, DONT do it from home!!! Caller ID is both WONDERFUL and TERRIBLE!!!)

Ask for the actual laws, WHO enforces them, and where they can be accessed at, maybe some are not on line, or have been changed recently. If they have changed anything but you have had your animals longer, they would probably be grandfathered in.

Though, in the next town over, someone I knew who had chickens which were grandfathered in was told that if and when they died, they couldn't get more to replace them, those were the LONGEST lived chickens in HISTORY!!! Smuggling in new RIR's in at night and old hens out isn't terribly difficult, might be harder with goats. *cough* not that I'm condoning breaking the law or anything!

 

[Marlinchaser]

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I hope you get to keep your animals, if you read the laws right. HOWEVER why should the neighbour mind thier own beeswax?? If the law says that the animal is prohibited then the law is in place and should be followed. Maybe they bought thier land knowing that the law states that they will not be smelling goats, and hearing roosters. I agree with Miron28 to a point, if your wanting to do something that is not allowed you should move to a place where you can do whatever it is that you want to do.

Bottom line find out what the LAW is, if that entails hireing a Lawyer to find the specific laws or lack of the same then that needs to be done. Just because you read one section that says no billygoats there may be other sections that you did not read.