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Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION
Activist plays chicken at city hall
Pulls hen from bag during speech, gets kicked out
May raises about 50 chickens at her farm in St. Norbert. (TREVOR HAGAN/ WINNIPEG FREE PRESS) Photo Store
A poultry activist ruffled feathers by taking a hen into the city's council chamber during a debate about making it legal to raise chickens in Winnipeg.
Small-scale poultry farmer Louise May was removed from the council building Monday after she pulled a mille fleur hen out of a bag and held it up in the chamber while she addressed the protection and community services meeting.
Committee chairwoman Paula Havixbeck (Charleswood-Tuxedo) ordered security to remove May for committing the illegal act of taking a live animal into the council chamber.
"Shame on you," May yelled as she was escorted out of the meeting, which had been moved into the main council chamber after more than two dozen urban poultry advocates arrived to support a motion to reconsider making the practice legal.
City council has considered and rejected the idea several times in recent years. On Oct. 24, Daniel McIntyre Coun. Harvey Smith introduced a new motion to council in the interest of promoting food security in Winnipeg. City bylaws treat chickens as exotic animals.
On Monday, pro-chicken advocates at council included one delegate who dressed his son in a chicken costume and another who wore a rooster decoration in her hair.
Only May, who raises approximately 50 chickens at Aurora Farm on St. Norbert land zoned to allow agriculture, brought the real thing to council.
"I'm one of the lucky people who gets to have these chickens legally," said May, who finished second to Coun. Justin Swandel in the city council race for St. Norbert in 2010 and is also a spokeswoman for the Occupy movement. "I did this to demonstrate chickens are gentle and clean animals."
Other pro-poultry delegates touted the food-security benefits of raising eggs within the city and the ability of hens to control garden pests, produce compost and consume table scraps.
Legalizing urban poultry farming would create additional work for the animal services special operating agency, chief operating officer Leland Gordon told the committee.
His agency receives more than 12,000 service calls a year to pick up animals, he said. Most are dogs and cats, but some are exotic animals such as chickens, goats, snakes and monkeys.
Havixbeck said she does not support urban poultry farming because she's concerned about avian flu and influenza risks.
The committee chairwoman said she did not hear from experts on Monday and hoped scientific opinion will inform any discussion about legalizing urban poultry.
Her committee voted to instruct animal services to consider poultry as part of changes to pet bylaws. This move was met with optimism by urban-poultry advocates such as Natalie Carreiro.
Havixbeck, however, remained in a foul mood due to the live-chicken stunt in the council chamber. "Bringing any animal in, unless it's a guide dog, is inappropriate," she said.
Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition October 30, 2012 A2
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Updated on Tuesday, October 30, 2012 at 9:29 AM CDT: Picture removed
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