Coming to a backyard near you...HENZILLA

Vancouver city council votes to allow residents to keep chickens in backyards (Chicken-Bylaw)The Canadian Press Mar 05 23:58 EST

VANCOUVER _ The B.C. SPCA is crying ``fowl'' after Vancouver city council voted in favour of a bylaw that makes it legal to keep chickens in backyards.

SPCA spokesman Shawn Eccles says he's concerned that people who never would have considered having a chicken of their own will now give it a try because of the attention the bylaw has received.

Eccles says those individuals might not have the knowledge or experience to deal with chickens, meaning it's the animals who will suffer in the end.

He says there's much more to taking care of chickens than most people realize, including the fact that the birds can attract rodents.

Vancouver will not be the first Lower Mainland municipality that allows residents to raise chickens outdoors, as Burnaby and New Westminster already do.

Residents in New York, Seattle and Portland are also permitted to keep the birds. (CKNW, CBC, The Canadian Press)

I love it. Chickens can attract rodents. So can cats, dogs and particularly people who barbque & leave stuff out in their yards. But getting closer to our food source? Ooh, scary.