By Colleen Smith

Keeping urban animals is possible in North Battleford

May 16, 2016 | 5:00 PM

A growing number of people in North Battleford are looking in to the possibility of urban animal keeping, particularly with chickens, which is possible with a successful application and approval from council.

Raising chickens in the yard may seem like a great alternative to shopping down the aisles of a large franchise grocery store. The eggs collected from a local henhouse are fresh, organic and free range and for some consumers it’s a source of comfort to know where their food is coming from and if it has been raised in a humane and sustainable way.

But before setting up the hen house, there is a certain procedure to be aware of.

Suzanne Abe, Communications Coordinator for the City of North Battleford says there is a strict application process which keeps animals under the safety of the animal protection bylaw.

“We have the animal protection bylaw and that says if a person would like to keep chickens or other domestic animals, they would need written permission from council,” she said.

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Applicants must draft a letter, stating what kind of animals the wish to keep, how many of them will be living in the space and in what ways the animals will be receiving care. The size of the space must also be lined out clearly in the application letter. All of these factors must be considered and weighed by council before approving the request to host animals in an urban space.

“It’s also a good idea to talk to your neighbour,” Abe said. “Because that is one question council would ask.”

The purpose of the bylaw first and foremost is to promote health and welfare of the people and to protect the surrounding property and the protection of the animals.

In the past few years, two applicants were approved to keep urban animals within the city.

Abe herself likes the idea of keeping chickens for sustainable eggs.

“Even I’ve thought about keeping, you know, just a few chickens, for my egg supply,” she said.

colleen.smith@jpbg.ca

twitter: @ColleenAJSmith