yeah, unfortunately i'm not in the city either. but i do know a lot of people in city/county government. of course, knowing them doesn't mean diddly squat in getting things DONE, but i might be able to make some inquiries.
i'm out of town until the 12th, but i'll be available after that to help if something gets rolling. if they still need some foster homes towards the end of the month, i may be able to take some. the most important thing for them to do would be to establish WHY Animal Control has sent them a notice: was there a complaint from a neighbor? what was the complaint for (sanitation, noise, outbuilding)? they also need to insist that Animal Control provide them with written documentation of the violation. it's most likely a zoning violation, which can be fought if the wording of the ordinance isn't really clear. usually it says something about livestock, but if they don't have a clear definition of what livestock is in that situation then it's more easy to fight.
whatever they do, they SHOULD NOT surrender the birds to Animal Control. Maryville AC is terrible. they should also not allow AC onto their property. if an officer comes by they need to tell them that they are not welcome on the property until the deadline has passed. they also should inform them that they must bring proof of a violation when they return.
early voting for Blount County is July 16th, so it may be a good idea to contact someone who is running for office and get them talking. i don't know where all the districts lay around here, but i know Jerome Moon is running for county commissioner in 4c (my district). he's a family friend who occasionally buys eggs from me, so he might be a good person to talk to (IF they fall in his district, which does cover certain parts of Maryville city).
