Raising turkeys as pets……?
Image by bbum
Turkeys on Paul Hain’s farm near Hollister, CA. Organically raised in a walnut orchard.
Question by Glenda: Raising turkeys as pets……?
I need a question answered about pets. My daughter got 3 turkeys in March. We live in the city of Anaconda, MT. BEFORE we bought them, she checked the ordinances and all the laws of the city to make sure she could have them. There was nothing stating she couldn’t. We even checked with the ordinance dept. and found out they had nothing either. Today, June 3rd, the police came to the house and said that one of the birds was out of the yard last week and that the city passed an ordinance not allowing turkeys in town. My daughter has been raising turkeys for about 11 years so I’m not sure what the issue is. Can they do this even after we checked into it? How can we go about this legally to allow her to have them. There are several people in town that have chickens and nothign is done when they get out so I don’t understand what the difference is. What do I do?
What do you think? Answer below!
One Response to Raising turkeys as pets……?
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These laws are crazy and stupid. You have to shelter your birds and make sure no one finds them. These laws are just “bylaws”, enforced by bylaw officers who literally have nothing better to do with their time. Any livestock is not allowed in most cities, and most of the time this is a good thing. We don’t want cows or horses in the city limits, and this is why these laws were created. But these laws are old and discount the fact that when not kept for meat or eggs, especially not for commercial production, they cease to be livestock and become pets.
I have kept geese/ducks as pets, in the house, in a city. A bylaw officer bugged us about it once; the only reason he knew was a massive mishap with an aggressive goose and a resentful mailman–we never had trouble before. We told him we’d get rid of the geese, he said not to worry; don’t rush, take your time, and never called us again. We didn’t get rid of them. Everyone in the neighborhood loved them, they lived in the house with us in diaper harnesses, and they were pets. Companion animals. NOT livestock. Unfortunately, one passed away due to heart failure and the other (aggressive one) had to be rehomed, but when we get geese again, we are not going to let these petty laws get in our way.
I would go to court if they asked me to, to fight against a law that does not serve any purpose in my situation. If they are pets and you are not commercially producing eggs, and not producing meat from them, then just make sure no one finds out about them. Easier said than done when they are large, loud turkeys that live outside, but you can only do so much.
Hilary
November 11, 2011 at 5:19 pm