Marietta Rooster Owner Opposes Proposed Ordinance To Ban Them

MARIETTA, OH — On Thursday, the Marietta City Council is set to move forward with the third reading for an ordinance that would ban roosters within Marietta city limits. The ordinance has an asterisk, if the rooster has been outfitted with an anti-crowing device it can stay. Anti-crowing devices are kind of like collars that can be outfitted to the neck of a rooster, it would prevent the bird from being able to puff out its neck to crow.

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Marietta City Councilman Bill Gossett says they've gotten a number of complaints about noisy roosters in the city. He says with more and more chicken owners popping up in Marietta, they want to take care of this before it becomes a bigger problem. It is likely though that this will pass, and after Thursday, a number of Mariettans will be outlaw rooster owners if they don't comply.

A rooster owner within city limits reached out and asked that their identity be concealed. She said she is against the ordinance but is hesitant to come out publicly and reveal herself. She said her rooster is an indoor pet and doesn't want a target painted on her back so he can be taken away.

She has a number of issues with the ordinance. For one, she said not all rooster owners meant to be rooster owners in the first place.

"It's not the chicken owners' faults they have roosters most of the time. Supposed to be hens when you get them from the stores."

She said that it isn't the roosters' fault they were born boys and said that roosters are the most destroyed animals, and no one blinks an eye about that.

"If they killed all male animals the way they nonchalantly kill roosters 'because they’re annoying' people would notice."

She says their crows are no louder than dog barking, just different. She also says the anti-crowing devices are cruel.

"Crow collars are strangle and choke hazards. The theory that s they stop the rooster from filling his air sacks. It doesn’t stop a crow, it just chokes them enough that it’s quieter. Would they strangle a dog to hush the barking?"

She says they shouldn't be used without supervision or be left on for long periods of time.

So what to do? This concerned rooster owner has a suggestion.

"Why not institute a license for roosters just as we do dogs? Pay for the privilege of having one? The city makes money. The owners are licensed to have their animals."

Whether the city passes it or not may have little to no effect for the few people within city limits who already own roosters. This rooster owner says she has no plans to comply if the ordinance passes.

"I don’t see how they can stop me from keeping an indoor pet. I’ve had them for three years with no complaints. And I won’t give him up. It’s not his fault he was a boy. Most roosters are destroyed at the pound and mine, a strict housepet, would not survive a farm environment."

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