Kalispell’s duck debate may be resolved for now, but the discussion continues over whether fowl in general should be living inside city limits.
The city council voted against changing the current animal ordinance to allow ducks on Nov. 7 after hearing from angry residents who complained about the fowl being a nuisance. For the last year residents have been able to keep up to 15 female chickens, but no ducks.
Diane Groves, who originally sparked the discussion when she pleaded for the city to save her ducks after police told her they had to be removed, said she gave away her pets to a friend who lives in Kila on Nov. 11.
Based on the amount of public outcry that has emerged in the last month over poultry, the council decided to hold another work session to reexamine the issue.
City Manager Jane Howington said the city is planning to hire an animal control position, which would alleviate animal-related complaints that are currently handled by police officers.
Councilor Jeff Zauner said chickens can be a nuisance just like ducks, and he would like the city to add more “checks and balances” into the current ordinance to prevent problems with noise, smell and health hazards.
“It’s a violation of our nuisance statute,” he said. “Ducks do have a large part to play in that but I also think the chickens do as well.”
Ed Franceschina remembers when a similar debate took place in Missoula a few years ago.
Franceschina, Missoula’s animal control supervisor, saw a line of people wrap outside City Hall on the night the Missoula City Council listened to residents’ opinions about chickens.
“It was a really spirited debate,” he said.
The city council eventually decided to update its animal ordinance to allow six hens but no roosters. Ducks are not allowed either.
Residents who want to have chickens need to buy a $15 permit once a year. The permit comes with “simple guidelines,” Franceschina said.
Chicken houses need to be at least 20 feet from a neighbor and must be covered and protected against predators.
For the four animal control officials in town, Franceschina said the largest complaint regarding chickens usually has nothing to do with smell or sound, most often it’s a “chicken on the loose” running through the streets.
“All in all, truth be told, it requires very little effort for animal control,” he said.