City committee rejects chicken-keeping

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This article was published 19/04/2022 (884 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

As Manitobans are urged to remove bird feeders and baths from their yards to help curb the spread of avian influenza, some animal experts lobbied the city to scrap a pilot project on backyard chicken keeping.

The chairman of the Winnipeg Humane Society board urged councillors on Wednesday to rule out the proposed change to the city’s responsible pet ownership bylaw.

“To even consider that we would be talking about bringing backyard poultry to the City of Winnipeg right now, it would be like proposing the opening of an outdoor seafood market and bat meat restaurant in downtown Winnipeg. It’s crazy,” Jonas Watson told council’s executive policy committee.

The comments came the same day the province confirmed two wild birds in Manitoba had tested positive for H5N1, a subtype of highly pathogenic avian flu.

“This is simply the wrong time to bring backyard chicken keeping to Winnipeg,” said Watson, a veterinarian at Grant Park Animal Hospital.

He was among several speakers who urged EPC to reject a proposed two-year pilot project on urban chicken keeping, which would come into effect by spring 2023.

The committee voted 4-3 to delete the pilot project from the pet ownership changes and instead order a report on the topic in a year. Mayor Brian Bowman joined councillors Markus Chambers, Cindy Gilroy and Brian Mayes to support that motion, while councillors Matt Allard, Sherri Rollins and Jeff Browaty voted against it.

The virus concerns convinced the mayor it’s not the right time to introduce chickens to local yards, Bowman told the media.

“I think now is not the time to introduce backyard chickens for the reasons… that we’ve heard from experts earlier today,” he said.

Rollins and Browaty say they voted against the motion because they would rather eliminate the chicken keeping project entirely, rather than having city staff further study it.

Council is expected to cast the final vote on the matter on April 28.

If the decision holds, it will ruffle some feathers.

For years, council has heard requests to allow backyard chickens, which some champion as a way to increase access to fresh, local eggs.

Louise May, who keeps heritage chickens at her farm in St. Norbert, said the city should go ahead with the pilot project. New regulations could help ensure residents keep their chickens safe, since many Winnipeggers already own the animals even though the bylaw doesn’t allow it, she said.

“There are a lot of backyard chicken owners in this city… they’re all doing it in secret and so right now we don’t know where any of those flocks are. So, the idea of having some kind of control (through permitted flocks), in situations of a flu virus, (would help identify) where all the birds are,” said May.

Basic biosecurity steps would protect backyard flocks, including enclosures that separate them from wild birds, she said.

Allard said he supports the 20-site pilot.

“I have been lobbied by many, many people to do this… I think it is about having food closer to you,” he said.

The debate comes after the Wildlife Haven Rehabilitation Centre urged Manitobans to remove bird feeders and bird baths from their yards, since they boost the spread of the virus.

On Wednesday, the provincial government urged the owners of small flocks of birds to keep them indoors, if possible, during the high-risk period of wild bird migration.

The committee also cast a split vote on ending Winnipeg’s ban on certain dog breeds. The ban prevents American pit bull terriers, American Staffordshire terriers, Staffordshire bull terriers, and predominant mixes thereof, from being legally kept as pets in the city.

“I don’t see an urgent and pressing need to do anything that would possibly increase the number of pitbulls in our community. The ban on certain breeds has been in place in Winnipeg since the ’90s and I’m mindful (that) the impetus for the ban was serious pitbull attacks,” said Bowman.

Those pushing to end the ban argue no breed is inherently dangerous and the city should focus on dog behaviour and irresponsible pet owners.

“Targeting breeds, or a dog’s appearance, does not improve desired safety outcomes and leaves dangerous dogs in the community,” said Jane Olijnek, founder of End Breed Specific Legislation Manitoba.

The call to end the breed ban passed in a four-to-three vote, with Allard, Gilroy, Chambers and Rollins in favour, while Bowman, Mayes and Browaty opposed. That also awaits a final council vote.

Joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga