Letters

Neighbor’s chickens have me cooped up in my own house

By Karen Lockwood  |  Groveland

I live in Livingston County in the Town of Groveland, about 10 minutes outside of Geneseo. We are in Geneseo school district and I own my own home pay school and town taxes.

My neighbors have at least 15 chickens that they do not keep fenced up and are constantly in my yard. They leave their feces all over the place, and lately will attack me as I park my car in my own driveway and go in the house, the other night the chicken scratched my leg and knee all up attacking me.

I have a daughter who won’t even go out and use our trampoline, our pool or even want to be outside due to them and I am eight months pregnant with my son.

I have called the town, the county health department, the code enforcement officer and I was told all I can do is get a lawyer, that there is no ordinance to protect my rights as a homeowners to have my neighbors keep their animals on “their own property.”

I know this may seem petty to some, but it’s been going on over a year, my other neighbor has since moved and the other side has built a huge fenced in play yard for their kids.

I just don’t see how I should have to buy a fence to keep them out which won’t work anyways. We do have a fence and a hedge row between our houses and the chickens walk down to the road and come up my driveway, so a bigger fence won’t work anyways.

Please, Please, PLEASE help. I am sure their are many people who have the same problems with neighbors whether its cats, dogs, horses, chickens etc…