THE owners of three chickens banished from a Footscray property say Maribyrnong Council’s rules against chickens in front yards are too strict.
Councillors voted at a April 23 meeting to refuse the return of the chickens to the Eldridge Street property at this stage despite a petition with about 130 signatures seeking their return.
Owner Dusk Liney said she and her husband Ben were disappointed at the council refusal to provide an exemption to local laws.
“Our take is that the council seems to have rejected our petition due to the chooks being in the front yard, which, it says, is because they detract from the amenity. We disagree.”
Ms Liney said the petition showed the Eldridge Street chooks connected a large number of people to the street and to each other.
The pair argued the Eldridge Street chickens improved the local amenity of the street by bringing together the community.
Cr Cameron McDonald said chickens were great for the neighbourhood. Mayor Catherine Cumming said the welfare of the animals and cleanliness of the area needed to be the primary concern.— Benjamin Millar
