Canada: Most Nanaimo residents support urban farms. So why are these birds on the chopping block?
Mossy Rock Urban Farm is ‘stuck in limbo’ as animal control issues orders to cut flock.
By Julie Chadwick
Discourse
October 5, 2023
Excerpt:
When Danyelle Brown took over a hobby farm business two years ago, she had visions of selling locally-grown eggs, chicks and vegetables to the community while teaching her children sustainable agriculture.
However, all that changed on August 29 when Nanaimo animal control visited Mossy Rock Urban Farm with a letter informing Brown that she had more chickens and ducks on the South Nanaimo property than was permitted, according to the city’s animal responsibility bylaw, which was adopted in 2021.
What it meant was that Brown had 14 days to cut her flock of approximately 100 chickens, ducks and geese down to 12 birds, or face a fine of $150 for each day she was in violation of the bylaw — effectively putting an end to her small farm business.
For the moment, the farm has caught a reprieve. At present, the animal control contractor has been asked to not take any further action “until we get further instruction from council” who are reviewing the issue, says Dave LaBerge, the city’s manager of bylaw services.
