Police last Sunday charged a Silvermine Road resident $90 when six of his chickens wandered into the street after escaping their coop, officials say.
The call about the roaming fowl came in at 1:55 p.m., according to a police report.
Officials found the owner and fined him for violating a seldom cited part of the Town Code (section 6-4 here).
Amended four years ago, it says, in part: “All fowl or poultry kept within the limits of the Town must be penned and not allowed to run at large or onto premises other than those belonging to or occupied by the party owning or keeping such fowl or poultry.”
Animal Control Officer Maryann Kleinschmitt said the rule governing light farm animals doesn’t get as much use as it once did.
“We have had things like a cow, horse and ponies in the roadway,” she said. “We had some ponies up on Smith Ridge Road not too long ago, and that’s a big problem because the motorists beep their horns and that makes the ponies go nuts and you can’t catch them.”
Kleinschmitt said police generally assess a $90 fine for a first offense and $250 for subsequent violations.