North Haven (CT) Hates Bunnies, Wants Family Pet Gone

[twowaymirrrors]

Comments

[thedorkygirl]

I'm going to say it - if you're getting an animal like that, you'd better research. I knew all the pet/zoning laws in my town by the time I was 12; how did that dad not know?? The law seems valid, as well - no "livestock" on properties under 2 acres.

Now to contrast - I think it's a freakin' rabbit, not chickens or a goat, and they ought to be given a permit to have it - but maybe he should have sought that permit or exception before they'd had the pet for 3 years.

[jasonbeast]

That really is a reasonable way of looking at it. With any pet, you really have to know your local regs. Cats and dogs are usually straightforward and the ordinances well known, but beyond that, you just have to spend a few minutes and research it.

[tiddlywinks103]

Unfortunately, I agree. I'm so sorry for the little girl, but it's your job, as a parent, to research a pet situation for your child, so things like this don't happen.

I hope he can appeal, or get a permit, though.

[brother_dour]

I'm not surprised at all that the father didn't know about the ordinance. Most people don't know about their local ordinances- thedorkygirl is the exception, not the rule (but we love people who do know them in the urban planning field). My guess is, this guy didn't even think that there might be such an ordinance to begin with (even though those kinds of ordinances that ban certain kinds of animals based on lot size are very common in the U.S).

I feel sorry for whoever has to enforce the law, though: they -must- enforce the law as city employees, but no one wants to break a seven-year-old's heart.

[mirhanda]

I agree. It's like those people who get Vietnamese pot bellied pigs and want to keep them in suburbia. The law just doesn't differentiate between pot bellied pigs and hogs raised for bacon.