City of Detroit butting heads with blight-eating Brightmoor goats

[jlnascar]

I am in and out of Brightmoor quite frequently, it definitly as a rural feel to it. Lots of open space. I think ideas such as this have a positive feel.

[313WX]

Can you elaborate more on the "butting heads with blight-eating Brightmoor goats" part?

Does the city government now have goats grazing in the grass?

[mwilbert]

No, these are private goats.

[313WX]

No, these are private goats.

Oh, interesting...

[RO_Resident]

Someone shipped in 18 goats to help keep the grass trimmed.
http://www.detroitnews.com/article/2...r-neighborhood

I know of some other goats in the city. They are better at keeping a low profile.

[renf]

http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2014/06/...lbias%3Ar&_r=0

Hedge fund manager Mark Spitznagel hopes to have 60 goats grazing in Brightmoor by the end of the summer. Apparently, he intends to sell the meat to local butchers. This is one of many idea to reinvigorate Detroit neighborhoods.

[preserve]

If the City can bend the ordinance to allow folks to keep chickens, they should allow the goats.

[313WX]

If the City can bend the ordinance to allow folks to keep chickens, they should allow the goats.

Something like that was passively proposed by Andre Spivey.

[Wesley Mouch]

If the City can bend the ordinance to allow folks to keep chickens, they should allow the goats.

We certainly know the city can bend the ordinance. But even better, they should simply adjust it to allow goats in effectively rural areas such as Brightmoor. City regulation is supposed to serve the collective citizens general interest and safety. They aren' t supposed to be used against obviously good ideas.

[Jimaz]

I heard on the radio that they were doing this in California to remove brush that would otherwise fuel wildfires. One interesting benefit is that the goats will go where heavy machinery cannot.

[gazhekwe]

I can't figure out why the city would oppose having these goats in Brightmoor. I guess they need all the red tape stuff codified and then fulfilled, like permits to have the goats. for a fee of course, regulations for the safe and responsible management of the goats. There needs to be safety for the citizens and the goats. I sure felt horrible looking at those happy little goats, some only weeks old, going to slaughter early and without getting to have a little fun and eat a lot of grass. I could see establishing a little goat farm, having the grazing to clear space, raising some nanny goats for milk, cheese and butter, yum!

[douglasm]

It's a good idea, but I got the impression from reading the article that Polland did not go to the city with his idea. Aparently it's not that he's using goats to "mow" the grass [[they do that in Seattle), but it's the housing of the animals within the city that is causing the conflict.

[Lombaowski]

Chance of one or more goats ending up as someone's dinner: 100%

[canuck]

I heard on thé radio last year a story about thé city of Paris bringing un goats on a weekly basis to city parks. They mow the grass the old fashioned way, they eat it!

[Honky Tonk]

I have a [[serious) question ragarding using goats to "mow" City parks and vacant lots. I think it's a feasible idea, but what what goes in, must come out. How do these Cities deal with goat droppings? Leaving a herd of goats in a park for a day is bound to leave some residue.

[Django]

The goats would be inside an electrified fence, keeping them in certain areas. When I first read about this plan and the statement that many of Detroits laws are broken and accepted I knew someone was gonna stir some shit up. The law just needs to be changed so we can have bees, chickens, goats and whatever else could be useful. I'm curious when this was made into an ordinance that you can no longer have farm animals within city limits. Was this a law made when Detroit was thriving with houses and people were complaining about goat shit on there lawn or rosters cackling at dawn every morning when folks are trying to sleep in? This is silliness on the part of some city council probably trying to make a name for themselves. Is there anyone really opposed to this idea of goats in the city? GOAT ON!

[DetroitPlanner]

The law just needs to be changed so we can have bees, chickens, goats and whatever else could be useful.

How about lifting the law that regulates the number of strip bars? Lets have them everywhere! Near Churches, Schools, police stations. Why it is useful for perverts! How about legalizing heroin while we are at it? It is useful for addicts! And those pesky anti pollution laws too. If I could find it useful to store petcoke or throw my trash onto empty lots than that too should be legal.

Goats do have a tendency of wandering off and getting into peoples gardens. To some they are a nuisance. Therefore there probably are people opposed to goats.

The laws are there for a reason. Yes the reason may or may no longer be valid. Before it changes some research is needed to why the laws exist. Living in Warrendale there were people butchering goats and lambs in their yards before the cops put a kybosh on it. Maybe it has something to do with that? I sure don't want that stench and the sound of animals screaming next door to me.

[GUSHI]

Detroit Planner, just brought back a old memory, My neighbor in Detroit went bought a lamb in Armada and brought it back to his house and slaughtered it. For a long time I didn't eat lamb. There use to be a Yemanese market on Conant and Miller, my dad went in and bought a chicken, the clerk killed in right in front of me. Those 2 reasons were probably why I never got in to hunting, . Thanks for bringing back some long stored memories Detroit Planner.

[Wesley Mouch]

I have a [[serious) question ragarding using goats to "mow" City parks and vacant lots. I think it's a feasible idea, but what what goes in, must come out. How do these Cities deal with goat droppings? Leaving a herd of goats in a park for a day is bound to leave some residue.

In Switzerland, they use cows to 'mow' highway rest areas.

[DetroitPlanner]

Detroit Planner, just brought back a old memory, My neighbor in Detroit went bought a lamb in Armada and brought it back to his house and slaughtered it. For a long time I didn't eat lamb. There use to be a Yemanese market on Conant and Miller, my dad went in and bought a chicken, the clerk killed in right in front of me. Those 2 reasons were probably why I never got in to hunting, . Thanks for bringing back some long stored memories Detroit Planner.

Thanks, now I remember being about three and seeing the same chicken thing in SW Detroit!

[DetroitPlanner]

I have a [[serious) question regarding using goats to "mow" City parks and vacant lots. I think it's a feasible idea, but what what goes in, must come out. How do these Cities deal with goat droppings? Leaving a herd of goats in a park for a day is bound to leave some residue.

The rats will take care of it.

[unclefrank]

The city government is still as stupid as ever. Something that cannot be fixed.

[Jimaz]

... I'm curious when this was made into an ordinance that you can no longer have farm animals within city limits....

From Sec. 6-1-3. Owning, harboring, keeping, maintaining, selling or transferring of farm or wild animals prohibited; exception for circuses, zoos, and other approved activities; separate violations for each animal; disposition of animals in violation of this section.:

Sec. 6-1-3. Owning, harboring, keeping, maintaining, selling or transferring of farm or wild animals prohibited; exception for circuses, zoos, and other approved activities; separate violations for each animal; disposition of animals in violation of this section.

1. It shall be unlawful for a person to own, harbor, keep, or maintain, sell, or transfer any farm animal, or any wild animal, on their premises or at a public place within the City; provided, that farm animals or wild animals may be kept in circuses, zoos, or laboratories, subject to the approval of the City, where the care or custody is under the care of a trained and qualified animal attendant at all times, whose responsibility shall be to see that such animals are securely under restraint.
2. Each farm animal, or wild animal, that is owned, kept, maintained, sold or transferred contrary to subsection [[a) of this section shall constitute a separate violation of this section.
3. The Animal Control Division is authorized to sell, transfer, euthanize, or dispose of any animal owned, kept, maintained, sold or transferred in violation of this section in a manner consistent with the protection of the public health, acceptable humane practices, and any applicable established City guidelines and procedures.

[[Ord. No. 04-04, § 1, 1-30-04)

Does anyone know what that date means on the last line? I don't know.

[douglasm]

I believe it was the 4th ordinance passed in 2004, on 1-30-04. out here, our ordinances are numbered by quantity and year. It looks like the whole section was modified and/or adopted in January of 04.

It's a fairly common ordinance. Some cities out here have modified their animal control ordinances to allow for chickens. If I were to introduce a change to 6-1-3 to allow goats, it would include a section covering housing, quantity, care and complaints. If unregulated yet allowed, it has the potential of becoming a major hairball.

[unclefrank]

Chance of one or more goats ending up as someone's dinner: 100%

Unless they come pre wrapped, I think they are safe