Danville City Council members have informally rejected a petition asking that citizens be allowed to raise chickens. Alderwoman Sherry Pickering was one of those who spoke out during last night’s (Tuesday’s) city council meeting on the matter…
{”My concern is with the what we would have to do as far as the inspections part of it. Would that put more on our inspectors? The other thing is…they carry a disease, so I too would like to look into it a little bit farther before I would make a decision. But right now I wouldn’t think so.”}
Alderman Rick Strebing says animal control regulators already have enough to do….
{”I don’t think we need to take on anything more – especially with chickens. I think we’re asking for more trouble,” said Strebing.}
Ward 6 Alderman James Poshard also opposes allowing chickens to be raised in the city….
{”Being a country boy on the farm – a chicken is not the cleanest animal. And I see a lot of wild animals right here around my house. I’ll see an occasional coyote, a opossum, a coon, and those are just varmints that would definitely go after and attack a chicken – penned, and I would have to say no.”}
Alderman Mike Puhr asked how the chickens would be regulated. Another alderman, Dan Duncheon, called the proposal to raise chickens in Danville a ‘’silly idea’’. But Mayor Williams said the petition he had received requesting raising chickens in the city be allowed contained over 100 signatures.
