How to legalize Peacock in Dover, NJ

[doudini2]

Hello,

today the earth shook underneath my feat, when after applying for permit to build a flight pen for my peacock, they told me that peacocks are pheasant family, and wild and untamed animals, and the ordinance states you cannot have them in this town. I am not sure what I can do about it, but my Henri is a pet, not a wild animal.
The only reason they know it is a peacock, is because the secretary on the phone made me disclose who is the flight pen for, and it seems now the whole department knows who I am am and where I live. Otherwise, we would fence in the whole yard and noone would know about Henri.
Any advice on how to start the appeal?

 

[Hoss1975]

Get a copy of the ordinance,and post it here,it will help to have the exact wording of the ordinance.

 

[doudini2]

CODE IF TOWN OF DOVER, NEW JERSEY, v 35 Updated 08/01/2010/PART lll BOARD OF HEALTH LEGISLATION nChapter 395, ANIMALS/ARTICLE 3/
Under prohibited animals and poultry paragraph 395-9
No swine, goats, horses, mules, cattle, rabbits, ducks, geese, and other barnyard fowl, that includes but is not limited to chickens, turkeys, and pheasants and other animals which by their nature are wild and untamed, shall be kept or maintained within town of Dover.
Thank you for any ideas or advice. I was crying so much today, and definitely cannot just give him away, and cannot move because we just bought this place 3 years ago.

 

[6littlechickies]

Start with your neighbors and begin a petition to keep your peacock. If you can get all your neighbors surrounding you, you may be able to get exempted. You could also try to get a new ordinance put in place starting with a community petition. Sorry to hear this news.

 

[doudini2]

Thank you all for support and help.

K.

 

[Lazy J Farms Feed & Hay]

Quote:

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

First, a peacock is not a pheasant. Yes, they are in the same family; however, so are chickens, and they are mentioned separately. It is similar to calling an ape a human because both apes and humans are hominid species.

I do not think peacocks are a typical barnyard animal; while not completely unheard of, they are not common. For instance, think of young children's books that talk about farm animals and the noises they make, the part of the farm they tend to inhabit (ducks a pond, horses a stall, pigs a sty, chickens a coop), etc. When was the last time you say one of these that listed the peacocks? More likely to find them in a zoo book.

Most peafowl are not wild animals, and since you have had Henri since he was a chick, I seriously doubt he is untamed.

Send a formal letter challenging their statement that peacocks, Henri specifically, are disallowed. State the above, and go into more detail on the taxonomy, detail the extent to which he is tame, include photos that show him as a pet such as perching on your hand or arm as a young bird, eating from your hand, etc.

 

[doudini2]

I will write a letter to the mayors office, trying to convince them. Maybe he can be a town mascot. But I am worried that after i make much noise, everyone will know, and if they still decide against Henri, they will order us to remove him. Now I can still try to pretend that he was put away. Which is not so good either, because it can backfire later.
Thank you for advice, dear animal lovers.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

The letter needs to go to the entire city council; mayors do not make decisions by themselves.