KOAM TV 7 Joplin and Pittsburg News Weather SportsScammon residents oppose animal ordinance

Scammon residents oppose animal ordinance

SCAMMON, KAN. - Farm animals raised inside city limits? That's the issue the Scammon, Kansas City Council will take up at its next meeting. A 2002 city ordinance forbids in-town livestock.  

Wednesday night a group of Scammon residents will be asking city council for the right to have livestock such as goats, chickens, and rabbits on their property. Something not currently allowed within city limits.

Mark Kloer says he moved his cow and goats outside of city limits two months ago, after the city started enforcing its 2002 ordinance.

Now he's leading a petition drive to remove the ordinance, an effort he says is economically driven.

"There's a lot of folks that can't afford you know with people losing jobs and job cuts and stuff, you can't afford that. They're going to have to start leaning towards raising their own," says Kloer.

Other residents support amending the law rather than doing away with it.

Shannon Baker says, "Everybody oughtta have their rights to have a few goats a few animals and chickens and this and that, but 'none of the above' that ain't right."

Baker says since the economic downturn, he's started a garden to help support his family and says he would have some animals if allowed by the city.

"Probably get a few chickens a few eggland chickens and stuff like that," says Baker.

Kloer says the animals would even provide learning opportunities for children in Scammon.

"They can't have a 4-H project because of the ordinance. There are some folks that would like to have a few rabbits for their kids and stuff like that," says Kloer.

City Council Member Darin Cassidy says without a police force in scammon it would be too difficult to regulate a limited ordinance with animals and supports keeping the law in place.

There are areas in Scammon that are exempt from the law -- including those west of the Burlington Northern Railway and property north of Katy Street.

The city council will meeting Wednesday night at 7 P.M. in City Hall.

By Nina Criscuolo