Served notice - making us take our children's pets away?

[Rodeo Ranger]

We have five hens that were purchased as chicks 6 months ago. The entire family has invested much time, work & money in this project. Two weeks ago, the eggs just started to come. My children love their pets and it has become a real education for them.

Today, we were served notice from the city of Tualatin, Oregon that our chickens are being kept illegally. They are contained in a coop and are relatively quiet. Most of our neighbors love them, but obviously an "anonymous someone" is upset.

I am going to fight this, but I desire work with the local government and not take an aggressive position against them. I understand several other Oregon cities have recently changed their regulations and started to allow backyard chickens.

Has anyone addressed this issue with the city of Tualatin lately? Any suggestions for me?

 

[shawnkfl]

here's a link to your municipal codes. i just did a quick scan, and i didn't see anything about keeping chickens. worth a look. http://www.ci.tualatin.or.us/

 

[Rodeo Ranger]

Thanks, but this is what I found earlier today.

http://www.ci.tualatin.or.us/departments/legal/faqs.cfm

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

And they are saying that chickens are not domesticated animals? I think they have their terminology skewed from the English language.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Okay, I actuially looked through the code and cannot find anything that says that. Posting an answer to a FAQ does not create an ordinance. You need to email or snail mail a letter asking them to cite the specific code they claim you are violating. If they can provide that reference, look it us and see exactly what is stated. If it says pets must be domesticated animals, then you are covered unless they specifically define the term as being different than the common English definition, which would include all species of animals that are not wild. So, you could claim to have a pet cow or pet elephant.

 

[cassie]

Exactly what did the citation say? Did they give a code number of the ordinance so you can look up the law? If not, they may not have one and are just hoping no one will notice.

 

[Rodeo Ranger]

The notice says "chickens are not permitted on residential property within city limits" and references Tualatin Development Code 40.020(2) which I quoted below . . .

Section 40.020 Permitted Uses.
(1) Single-family dwellings, including manu-
factured homes.
(2) Agricultural uses of land, such as truck
gardening, horticulture, but excluding commercial
buildings or structures and excluding the raising
of animals other than normal household pets.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Well, there are thousands of folks who keep chickens as household pets. You might try setting up a poll for people to enter as to whether they consider any of their chickens as pets (as compared with livestock).

I know my great grandmother had two housechickens ("banties"), a rooster and a hen who lived primarily in her immaculately clean house and roosted atop her kitchen cupboards 100 years ago.

The housechickens yahoo group has 460 members.

 

[Holly O]

Quote:
I guess the question is what is NORMAL ...lol

I do not find Snakes normal or pet hairless rats. plus the hundreds of other pets people feel are ok.

An issue I have with my case is my children are allergic to animal fur. Chickens work well for that issue as you can still hold and pet them as well as train them.

Domesticated pets is sometimes listed,

: a domesticated animal kept for pleasure rather than utility.

Definition: The term "domestic" describes any bird that has been bred within the country it resides in. In the United States, domestic birds are birds that are bred and hatched on US soil.

These are two definitions off of Google.

You could use the fact that your birds have names as being a pet.

BTW: I do not here of many if ANY! wild chickens in the USA. Their are wild Turkeys though. Some breeds are not wild as they are bread with certain characteristics, that would not survive well in the wild. same with Ducks.

My suggestion is to go Technical. Find the actual terminology meaning. (did that come out right?..lol) of the words used in the Code.

 

[Rodeo Ranger]

Thanks, Holly O. I am building my case and your points are well taken. I will keep you updated as to the progress on this.