Collingwood council discussed backyard chickens and issues concerning wildlife at its Monday night meeting.
Councillors turned down a committee recommendation to change the current by-law to allow backyard chickens.
By a 6-3 vote, Council decided not to apply for zoning by-law changes or go to public consultation to allow residents to have hens in a residential area.
This means anyone currently owning chickens will be in conflict with the current by-law prohibiting urban chickens and if there is a complaint the town’s by-law department will address it.
Also on Monday night, council got an update from the Mayor and town clerk Sara Almas on a meeting last Wednesday with two members of a group called Collingwood Animal Rights Advocate Group.
Mayor Cooper says she, the clerk, OPP Inspector John Trude and the two residents discussed ways to deal with wildlife.
Cooper tells us the two residents had some great ideas including signage on trails regarding coyotes, proper training for those who deal with wildlife and educating the public about not feeding wild animals.
The group was formed after an elderly neighbourhood dog, which was mistaken for a coyote, was killed by a Collingwood OPP officer, who ran down the dog and eventually shot the animal to death.
But Mayor Cooper says the two residents who are part of this group didn’t focus on that, they told the meeting they just want the community to move forward with some initiatives.
