Cock-a-doodle-doo -- roosters can crow about the city's budget crunch

Lots of things are vanishing in the current budget crunch -- teachers, services, salaries, to name just a few. But someone's getting good news as a result of that same squeeze: the backyard rooster. Jessica Garrison explains:

The birds will be spared new restrictions on their cackling and cock-a-doodle-dooing because the city's overtaxed animal services department is already doing too much with too little money, according to Councilwoman Janice Hahn.

Last fall, responding to complaints about loud birds in her district, Hahn had proposed new restrictions limiting each household to one rooster and calling for noise restrictions. The council was set to vote on those rules this week, but Hahn now says the city can't afford them.

"In this tough budget year, I am uncomfortable with creating an unfunded mandate for our animal services department.  The general manager has made it clear that they cannot fund these new proposals this year, and I think we all agree that there are larger priorities in the city right now."

Let the crowing begin.

--Veronique de Turenne

Photo: Don Kelsen / Los Angeles Times

Comments

[Adrian]

Being a rooster owner, a roosters crow makes you feel as if you are in the country, they are letting all those LAZY people know to get up to go to work. If someone is really tired, not a roosters crow, sirens, or even blowers would bother them. my advice- spend city money where its really needed! Crime! Gangs! Rapists! Child Molesters ETC ETC ETC ETC ETC ETC

[Roy]

I think that this council person needs to get on the ball and figure out how to raise the funds to mandate the city limits throughout LA County. She obviously has not slept less than 30 feet to a rooster crowing at 3am. I'm sure if she has, she would find the funds in a day. I would have to assume that neither has the rest of the councilmen as well. These councilmen make outrageous salaries and the best they can come up with is restricting an owner to one rooster?

Within the city limits, there should be (0) ZERO roosters allowed! If people want to own or hear these roosters crow, let them live in the country or on agricultual land as it was intended. Why does this not come under noise control and dealt with strict enforement?

The other above comment was from a rooster owner. Who in the world is he to say when people get up? Then we are insulted and called lazzy as well? My answer to that person is, would you like to wake up at 3am to Heavy Metal music blaring in your ears. Obviously you have shown your rudeness and have given no fair accountability towards owning your rooster. In other words, you could care less about your neighbors.

Why is it, that a cat can run freely without a license? How about creating a license for cats. Any idea what kind of revnue this could create just in Los Angeles county alone? Think about the strays you will see less of! This should also help the strained animal control people that have to feed the hundreds of thousands of strays each year and as tax payers, we pay for it all..

I have a neighbor that just got 2 roosters and I can't get a good nights sleep since. They also have a dog that barks constantly, rise an shine at 5am and all day long until about 11pm. Yet, nobody will do anything about it, which includes animal control. If animal control is so over taxed, as the council woman stated, then what do they do besides take in more animals to feed? They won't even come get the strays anymore and the job of getting rid of the strays, of course is mine.

I recently had to take (4) kittens to animal control, that somehow came into my back yard. I asked what can I do to keep the adult strays away. The person laughed and then said, you can apply for a trappers permit. Again, my job? So again, what is the responsibility of the animal control that is so taxed?

I think it's time to have this state wake up and smell the roses! Time after time we vote people into office to give us excuses, why we can't live a decent normal life within the city limits. without having to deal with NOISE.

[Keith Branson]

I hate these birds, and I love animals. How can people be so inconsiderate by letting these things walk around their back yard crowing all day! I bet there will be a budget when I go over and kill the bird and they call the police. Come on people get on the ball. Let's put a rooster in their back yard or better yet next to their window where they work all day. I bet they would find a budget then. If you want a rooster live somewhere far, far away from everybody.