It’s time for Kitchener to allow backyard chicken coops, says a woman who already has one within city limits.
Heidi Wall maintains a chicken coop on Pine Street, in the city’s north end.
She’s had it for the past four years – but two weeks ago, animal control officers visited the house and said that if the coop didn’t disappear, a $5,000 fine would be issued.
“We had two weeks to get rid of them,” Wall said.
So far, that hasn’t happened.
Instead, Wall says she plans to appeal the issue directly to city councillors.
“There’s no real difference between the animals that are legal and chickens,” she said.
Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge all have bylaws restricting backyard chicken coops.
They’re legal in Guelph – and that’s the example Wall wants to see carried over to Kitchener.
She says she mainly uses the chickens as a cheap source of eggs, but also sees a community education aspect.
Michelle Penney, who lives nearby, says she has no issue with the coop.
“We’re probably one of the closest neighbours, and they haven’t bothered us one little bit,” she said.
“The chickens are well cared for.”
