JANICE WELLS: Don’t be a turkey — Pigeongate in St. John’s and other bylaw enforcement fiascos that should never have a leg to stand on

'Everyone's happy until one person complains'

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When I lived on Fleming Street, a neighbour fed pigeons.

She’d be out every morning with something or another and watch while they gathered and devoured every morsel. She had even named some of them.

This woman didn't have much of a life. I’d say the pleasure the pigeons gave her was one of the few things she looked forward to.

I don't know of anybody complaining; if anything, we enjoyed watching her enjoyment of such a simple pleasure. She and her daily pigeon get-together were just one more quirky thing that made the neighbourhood unique.

Did her pigeon feeding attract rats? Maybe, but, in fairness, the pigeons didn't leave enough behind to attract anything.

Rats in a harbour town are a fact of life and are already well-ensconced in downtown St. John's. You don't need to feed pigeons to have them pay you a visit and there are several ways to discourage them.

I feed birds from birdfeeders. I have a window feeder and a suet feeder. This winter I saw a rat climbing up the bush trying to get at the suet feeder hanging there. I bought a stake at the dollar store and moved the suet to where Mr. Rat couldn't get it.

Newman put out his miracle rat discourager and I haven't seen it since.

I don't profess to know all the details about The Pigeon Lady downtown. It just sounds all wrong; being taken to court, facing a large fine for feeding pigeons in your own backyard when you’ve been doing it forever and are allowed to feed them in public places.

Janine feeds pigeons in her backyard. I was there once when the kitchen door was open and in walked a pigeon! Not my cup of tea, but also not my business as long as the pigeons and their business stay in her backyard. Her neighbours don't seem to mind because her attracting the pigeons to her property keeps them of theirs.

At our house in Eastport, I was awakened every morning by the crowing of a rooster. Sometimes, I went back to sleep; sometimes, I didn't, but I loved, loved, loved it. Some mornings, I slept through it and was a bit disappointed.

The home of the rooster was down around the corner from us. The owner had hens, ducks, geese and turkeys, all enclosed in nice spacious surroundings. Children were encouraged to visit. Fresh eggs were always available and excellent eating birds.

Someone complained about the rooster. The next thing we knew, there was no rooster and no hens or ducks or geese or turkeys. After all his hard work, the man was so discouraged, he just gave it all up.

Everyone's happy until one person complains.

On the Backyard Farming and Homesteading NL Facebook page, hardly a month goes by without reading about conflicts with town councils about some living creature within town limits.

If you dig down deep, you may find that there's a rational explanation for some of the rulings, but there's just as good a chance that you’ll find that there isn't a rational explanation. Everyone's happy until one person complains.

Take the case of the Summerford pony, facing an eviction notice after years of being an accepted pet in the town. I dug a little and was told that a person who was ordered to get rid of pigs and other farm animals that were quite smelly to neighbours objected, saying if their animals had to go, the pony should go too, plus it's shed was built without a permit.

Throwing the baby out with the bathwater? As with cooing pigeons and crowing roosters, there are always two sides to the story and I think that, in these times, with trends leading back to nature and to food sufficiency of all sorts, it's a near-sighted council that doesn't take an open-minded look at the rationale, justification and enforceability of its bylaws.

I humbly suggest wording certain bylaws and regulations in a manner that recognizes one size doesn't fit all and including an appeal process that recognizes prevailing customs and traditions.

By the way, the Pigeongate issue has been set over until July.

Janice Wells writes from St. John's.