Why are raccoons allowed pets, but chickens not!!!!

[GracefulBantams]

The animal control officer in our small town said that I can only keep chickens as long as no neighbors complain. But, I am really not worried about it since within 3 blocks of me four other people have chickens in their backyard.
What really rubs me wrong is what happened today:
I am out watering the chickens, when I look up... I drop the water hose and jump back.... not far away, on my neighbor's porch, is a raccoon! Since it is daylight, I know something is wrong, and I am just praying it is not rabid. We call the police, but I am still keeping an eye on it until they get the animal control officer here! All of a sudden, it turns, and I notice it has a leash on! When the officer gets here we tell her about that. She goes and talks to the neighbor, then come tells us that, "It is her pet. There's nothing I can do".
Excccccuse me! You can threaten to take away my harmless chickens, but let the neighbor keep a raccoon - a wild animal?!

 

[purr]

I don't know about your state but here in Ma you need a special permit to have a wild animal. You might call the fish and game.Keeping a raccoon on a leash is just cruel.

 

[Schultz]

Even though I think raccoons are cute, they are wild and can be vicious killers; I would have no problem shooting one. It is sad to think that our cute, harmless, fluffy butts are more of a "threat" to the city ordinance than a wild raccoon.

 

[Vcomb]

coons are quieter, that's part of it. that and lot of folks rescue or rehab them which is a more "noble"

cause than raising a few chickens and being self-sufficient in the minds of many.

 

[Chicks_N_Horses]

Coons can make excellent pets. Maybe she keeps this one indoors mostly - IDK...seems crazy that you can't have chickens when others can have pets. I would think that chickens should be considered livestock and you should be able to grow your own livestock (pet or food wise) anywhere you live...city or country....BUT..I don't make the laws - If I did you would ALL have chickens legally

 

[Bo Garrett]

I had a racoon once......I certainly emphasize the once! While they can be fun they are indeed a wild animal and that wildness is never tamed, they can and will be mean. They also have an affinity for late night chicken snacks and especially love bantam cochins and mille fleur d'Uccles, they don't put up as much of a fight.
I see you don't have bantam cochins in your list of poultry you raise and show.......you know I can cure that and I am only 100 miles away. When do you want your black bantam cochins??? They sure are looking pretty and I have plenty of them.

God bless,

Bo Garrett

 

[Centaurheart]

Oh if I were dead, this post would make me turn over in my grave! Raccoons in the US are known carriers of about a dozen diseases that affect dogs, cats, and people. Most of them are simply 'carriers' not even displaying signs of sickness... and yet they roam around spreading rabies and even plague!
I'd be having a minor meltdown if I was you! I'm sooo sorry! There has to be some sort of wildlife ordinance in your area that doesn't allow raccoons as pets. I just think that's horrible... and this is coming from someone who loves Wildlife, went to college for Wildlife, and worked as a Biologists. Please please please don't let your kids (if you have any) play anywhere near it or handle it. I'm serious.

 

[Rootball]

I dont see why anyone shouldnt be able to have a pet racoon or skunk. I dont see that it is cruel to keep them on a leash either. I see darkstars with ferrets on a leash all the time.


I support peoples right to have chickens, but I think part of the difference is that almost no one has 1 chicken. If people started erecting coops in their yards and keeping 30- 50 raccoons in them I assure you the smell and racket would be unbearable. Even 6 raccoons in a coop would be too many. Cities would soon have ordinances against raccoons.

Chickens are vicious animals too, but they have no intelligence. If a chicken on the loose were to come across someones pet hamsters or gerbils or lizards, im sure the would viciously attack them and kill them. Then you would have people on hampster forums calling the police and writing irate posts about heartless chicken owners and their vicious pets.

Please keep a watch on your chickens at all times, and prevent them from savaging hampsters. The last thing that the urban chicken movement wants to do right now is draw the ire of the hampster lobby.

 

[Rootball]

Quote:
World wide and historically Chickens have been one of the most devastating carriers of disease which has affected mankind. Raccoons dont even come close to chickens as far as the harm that they have caused.


By the way, there is no such thing as a carrier of rabies, an animal either has it or doesnt. If they have it they will die within 2 1/2 weeks.

Saying that racoons carry the plague has got to be one of the most hysterical things i've ever seen. When was the last time someone even caught the plague, not to mention getting it from a raccoon.

Dont get your panties in a bunch. Im a chicken person and I will shoot a raccoon to keep him from my chickens, but I wont spout silly nonsense about them.

 

[Mary Of Exeter]

The raccoon may not have been "wild", or at least, not anymore. With a state license, you can rehab raccoons and other wild mammals. Raccoons in that case, are not nearly as bothersome as some neighbors will claim chickens are

Chickens cluck, they crow, they poo (which we are used to, but the neighbors may complain saying they smell and they're unsanitary

), and worst of all, neighbors are often scared to death of all these bird flu and other diseases they hear about. When in reality, our chickens in most cases, are probably more healthy than they are!