Post by Warkitty on Sept 16, 2010 9:50:44 GMT -5
Here in the Greater Metropolis of Red Bank, I've noticed some trends in animal life of the "people owned" variety (as opposed to the 'coons, 'possums and coyote that no one claims ownership of). These trends have nothing to do with city ordinances though. In fact, they're in direct opposition and contrast.
Of note, there are three species of animal I've seen regularly kept outside by the people of Red Bank. Cats are naturally the most commonly seen, rarely spay/neutered I find a cat on every block, often several claiming territory at every other house. Not that I mind people keeping their cats outside, but it sure does distract my Strega-dog, which brings me to the second most common animal, dogs.
The thing is, for every dog I see in Red Bank that's contained either in a fence or on a tie-out, there's 1/3 their number roaming loose. It seems as if half the area believes Red Bank is a great agricultural mecca, and that their dog running around chasing pedestrians and getting under car wheels is perfectly normal and right. Those that do contain their dogs don't seem to think there is any reason whatsoever to pick up after their dogs, so their yards tend to smell like a kennel with 3x as many dogs as they actually have, and those rarer still owners that actually WALK their dogs almost never bring a bag to clean up the mess. It was no surprise to me that once the new dog park was under construction at White Oak Park, the amount of dog crap littering the place increased by a factor of three.
The oddest thing though is the third most commonly seen "pet" in Red Bank, chickens. Now, according to Red Bank city codes, chickens and other livestock are not allowed in city limits, but I see them all the time out here. There was one pecking in the front yard of it's home just this morning... though the other four or five I've seen were not in evidence, nor were the chicks from earlier this year. Just down the block there's a family with a dog pen in their backyard, a tarp over the top, and a flock of chickens inside. No dog, just chickens. In my morning exploratory running routes with Strega-dog, aside from the randomly loose dog and the distraction of cats that he would love to be able to chase down and kill, chickens are the most common "dog distraction hazard" to date. I'll hear the occasional rooster crowing it's fool head off and wonder that no one has complained. I see chickens wandering around yards, clucking contentedly and think "I could use some fresh eggs" and I begin to contemplate getting a few for myself. After all, everyone ELSE is doing it...
So does Red Bank not enforce it's animal laws? If I set up a small chicken coop and kept a few hens, would I be the only resident ever to be fined for daring to keep the feathered livestock around, and what about that goofy rooster that's been hanging out at Memorial Cemetery with the ducks and geese? Is it trying to make chucks?
Answers to this and other such questions are sought.
Of note, there are three species of animal I've seen regularly kept outside by the people of Red Bank. Cats are naturally the most commonly seen, rarely spay/neutered I find a cat on every block, often several claiming territory at every other house. Not that I mind people keeping their cats outside, but it sure does distract my Strega-dog, which brings me to the second most common animal, dogs.
The thing is, for every dog I see in Red Bank that's contained either in a fence or on a tie-out, there's 1/3 their number roaming loose. It seems as if half the area believes Red Bank is a great agricultural mecca, and that their dog running around chasing pedestrians and getting under car wheels is perfectly normal and right. Those that do contain their dogs don't seem to think there is any reason whatsoever to pick up after their dogs, so their yards tend to smell like a kennel with 3x as many dogs as they actually have, and those rarer still owners that actually WALK their dogs almost never bring a bag to clean up the mess. It was no surprise to me that once the new dog park was under construction at White Oak Park, the amount of dog crap littering the place increased by a factor of three.
The oddest thing though is the third most commonly seen "pet" in Red Bank, chickens. Now, according to Red Bank city codes, chickens and other livestock are not allowed in city limits, but I see them all the time out here. There was one pecking in the front yard of it's home just this morning... though the other four or five I've seen were not in evidence, nor were the chicks from earlier this year. Just down the block there's a family with a dog pen in their backyard, a tarp over the top, and a flock of chickens inside. No dog, just chickens. In my morning exploratory running routes with Strega-dog, aside from the randomly loose dog and the distraction of cats that he would love to be able to chase down and kill, chickens are the most common "dog distraction hazard" to date. I'll hear the occasional rooster crowing it's fool head off and wonder that no one has complained. I see chickens wandering around yards, clucking contentedly and think "I could use some fresh eggs" and I begin to contemplate getting a few for myself. After all, everyone ELSE is doing it...
So does Red Bank not enforce it's animal laws? If I set up a small chicken coop and kept a few hens, would I be the only resident ever to be fined for daring to keep the feathered livestock around, and what about that goofy rooster that's been hanging out at Memorial Cemetery with the ducks and geese? Is it trying to make chucks?
Answers to this and other such questions are sought.
