The following letter came in to the neighborhood leaders of Madison Park today. Just sharing this so residents are aware of this proposal. Feel free to support the cause of this letter writer or not to support. The reason I am posting is just as an FYI to everyone!
I am writing to make you aware of a proposed amendment to the City Code that will change the definition of "pet" that currently includes cats, dogs, and other household domestic animals to include pygmy goats. This proposed amendment will be on the City Council agenda for their June 8th meeting, 7:00 pm at the Government Center and, if passed will have a significant impact on the quality of life in our city.
Currently, pygmy goats are considered livestock and require all the special attention, restrictions, and inspections of full-sized goats, cows, sheep, and other variations of livestock. If passed, pygmy goats could be introduced into your residential area without the restrictions and requirements required for other livestock.
Why should you care if pygmy goats are considered pets instead of livestock in the City of Charlotte? If treated as pets, pygmy goats become:
- 1. A clear public nuisance with 24-hour noise, odor, and unreasonable health risks.
- 2. Victims of animal cruelty even by well-intended owners.
- 3. A legal precedent for a flood of additional livestock types to be allowed into your neighborhood without restriction, including potbelly pigs, sheep, and burros.
Note: Please review the attached letter from a Charlotte-based veterinary professional with over 30 years experience to get a better understanding of the significant public nuisance and health risks related to keeping pygmy goats in non-rural environments.
Animal cruelty- Since the proposed amendment does not include any minimum land requirements, health mitigation plans, guidelines for appropriate care, or any other changes than "pygmy goats are pets", Charlotte residents could have these animals on any size plot of land, in their homes or condos without restrictions. This makes the animals vulnerable to cruelty and abuse even by well-intentioned owners who are not aware of their special needs for space that doesn't force them to eat vegetation in the same space where they eliminate waste.
Legal precedent - Although the proposed amendment singles out pygmy goats as an addition to the definition of pet, if it is approved it will be almost impossible to deny further requests to include such livestock as miniature burros or horses, sheep, potbelly pigs, or chickens, which are sure to follow. (Within the past month a request to keep chickens in a Matthews neighborhood was denied for exactly this reason.)This unstoppable flood of requests would add to the public nuisances and animal cruelty issues already mentioned. Most other cities forbid livestock altogether.
Please consider voicing your opinion regarding this issue to Charlotte City Council members before their meeting on June 8. For your convenience, an e-mail distribution list of all Council members is listed below. Their phone numbers and mailing addresses are also included if you prefer phone or traditional mail communication. Also listed below is some sample text to consider using as you express your opinion. I encourage you to adjust and add your own voice to it.
City Council Members E-Mail Distribution List: (Cut/paste into your e-mail)
pkinsey@carolina.rr.com; JamesDistrict2@aol.com; district3_turner@yahoo.com; barnesdistrict4@aol.com; n3157w@yahoo.com; andy@voteandydulin.com; warren@warrencooksey.com; sburg346@aol.com; Lassiter@bellsouth.net; FoxxCharlotte@aol.com; Edwin@edwinpeacock.com
Sample message to City Council from Charlotte Residents:
Subject - Urgent Concern - Please do not approve pygmy goats as pets
I am aware that the Charlotte City Council is considering including pygmy goats within the definition of pets based on a motion by the Community Safety Committee. This would authorize what I believe to be a significant public nuisance throughout Charlotte that would result in a flood of neighbor complaints wherever they are introduced. Pygmy goats are livestock, not pets. They live outside creating 24-hour noise, foul odor, and unacceptable public health risks. I prefer my tax dollars not be wasted on public officials having to follow-up on these easily avoidable complaints, by voting down the amendment to include pygmy goats in the definition of pets. As my city council members, please do not support this amendment.
List of City Council Members, 7 Districts:
Patsy Kinsey, District 1
Email: pkinsey@carolina.rr.com
Phone: 704-376-5367
Address: 2334 Greenway Ave.,Charlotte, NC 28204
James Mitchell, District 2
Phone: 704-398-9480
Cell: 704-577-3349
Fax: 704-398-9479;
Address: 3425 Valerie Dr.,Charlotte, NC 28216
Warren Turner, District 3
Email: district3 turner@yahoo.com
Phone: 704-713-0452
Address: P.O. Box 35465, Charlotte, NC 28231
Michael Barnes, District 4
E-mail: barnesdistrict4@aol.com
Phone: 704-509-6141
Address: 1909 J.N. Pease Place, Suite 202, Charlotte, NC 28262
Nancy Carter, District 5
Phone: 704-336-3431
Address: 1401 Cavendish Court, Charlotte, NC 28211
Andy Dulin, District 6
Phone: 704-367-1266
Address: 3200 Wickersham Road, Charlotte, NC 28211
Warren Cooksey, District 7
Phone: 980-230-5495
Address:14025 Dunbritton Lane #607, Charlotte, NC 28277
City Council Members at Large:
Susan Burgess
Phone: 704-333-2874
Address: 1333 Carlton Avenue Charlotte, NC 28203
John Lassiter
Phone: 704-542-1426
Address: 2632 Winding Oak Dr. Charlotte, NC 28270
Anthony Fox
Phone: 704-336-3184
Address: 600 East 4th Street, 15th Floor, Charlotte, NC 28202
Edwin B. Peacock III
Phone: 704-347-1080, Ext. 13
Address: The Pomfret Financial Co., Inc., 1115 E. Morehead St. Charlotte, NC 28204
We appreciate your taking time to read all this and respond. If you can, join us on June 8 at the City Council meeting. We would appreciate your support in our efforts to stop this amendment before it affects your neighborhood as well as ours!
Lanny and Fay Skidmore
