Lethbridge County seeking public feedback on animals in hamlets
Lethbridge County is looking for some public feedback on our larger furry friends. According to officials with the county, they are asking the public who live in hamlets in the area if they should be allowed to have certain livestock or fowl within hamlet boundaries. Lethbridge County Reeve, Tory Campbell, says he’s hoping for good public feedback on the issue.
“I think there is and there has been some interest from residents to be able to have livestock, as hamlets are kind of that soft spot between urban and rural. So I think it’s something that council is eager to hear some feedback on and see where we go from here. We’re talking about livestock, so when we talk about that, we’re talking about horses, sheep, goats, cattle, chickens, not cats and dogs. We’re thinking of larger livestock here.”
Council has passed first reading of an amended bylaw that would allow up to five animal units in hamlets, depending on the size of the property. A bylaw must pass three readings to take effect.
Additional info from the county:
Additional information from the county says one animal unit is equal to:
- One horse, donkey, or mule over a year old
- Two colts up to one year old
- One llama/alpaca
- Two ostrich, emu, or other ratite
- One cow or steer over one year old
- Two calves up to one year old
- One elk or bison/buffalo
- Fifty (50) broiler chickens
- Fifteen (15) chickens (layers)
- Ten (10) ducks, turkeys, pheasants, geese or other similar fowl or in combination thereof
- Three sheep or goats over a year old
- Two swine over a year old
- Twenty (20) rabbits or other similar rodents
The full survey can be found here https://whatshappening.lethcounty.ca/animal-control-bylaw