New Ordinance: Keep Roosters Quiet or Pay

Lack of courtesy and common decency are two reasons why the amendment to regulate roosters came to the town council on Thursday, according to councilor John Norman.

Thirty days from Thursday it will be the law - keep roosters quiet and do not let them annoy the neighbors.

In an 11 to 1 vote, the town council approved an amendment to an animal ordinance adding the regulation of roosters and fines for not following the rules.

Neighbor's frustration about noise and the rooster owner's "obstinate" response to pleas to keep the animals quiet brought about the ordinance change to the council's agenda.

This ordinance is not meant to target farmers or individuals with acres of land, but primarily for tighter residential areas.

If the rooster coca-doodle-doos to much, owners can expect a first offense fine of $25, second violation fine of $50 and a third violation fine of $100. 

The goal of the ordinance, according to the rationale provided by councilor Henry Farnham, is to "retain roosters that are well managed and maintain good neighbor relations, while being able to provide some guidance and if necessary, take action against those individuals who are not good managers of their roosters."

Farnham, and other councilors, worked with the Barnstable Agricultural Commission and Animal Control Officer to devise the new ordinance. 

The new rules stated in the agenda:

A. The rooster shall be kept between the hours of 7:00 p. m. and 7:00 a. m. within a fully enclosed structure designed to minimize noise.

B. The person shall not allow or permit such rooster at any time to annoy another person’s reasonable right to peace or privacy by making loud or continuous noise where such noise is plainly audible between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. at a distance of 150 feet from the premises where the rooster is kept, or between the hours of 7:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. at a distance of 50 feet from the premises where the rooster is kept, or when such noise is continuous in excess of 10 minutes.

C. The provisions of this ordinance may be enforced pursuant to MGL Ch. 40 § 21D and Article I Non-criminal Enforcement of Violations of Chapter 1, General Ordinances, of the Code of the Town of Barnstable for the first three (3) violations; and by prohibiting the further keeping of roosters in lieu of or in addition to enforcement pursuant to MGL Ch. 40 § 21 for each violation thereafter.”