Chapter 6.20
PIGEONS AND DOVES
Sections:
6.20.010 Pigeons–Residential zone restrictions.
6.20.020 Pigeons and doves–Housing.
6.20.030 Pigeons–Confinement periods.
6.20.040 Pigeons–Flying at large.
6.20.050 Pigeons–Capture and detention.
6.20.010 Pigeons–Residential zone restrictions.
No person shall keep any kind of pigeon within the city, other than pedigreed homing, high-flying, or air-performing pigeons, in Zones R-1, R-2, R-3 and R-4, as established by the zoning laws of the city. (Prior code § 5-1.401)
6.20.020 Pigeons and doves–Housing.
A. Construction–Permit to Liberate Required. No person shall erect or maintain any pigeon house or dove cote or other structure or place where pigeons or doves are kept or keep any pigeons or doves within twenty-five feet of any dwelling house, except the dwelling house of the owner of such pigeon house, dove cote or other structure; provided, however:
1. Pigeons and doves may be kept in such pigeon houses, dove cotes or other structures within not less than twenty-five feet of the dwelling house of the owner of such pigeon house, dove cote or other structure;
2. Pigeons and doves may be kept in a pigeon house, dove cote or other structure, or in any cage or other enclosure if it shall be enclosed in such manner as to prevent the escape of any pigeons or doves therefrom and if situated not less than twenty-five feet from the nearest dwelling house; and
3. Carrier and homing pigeons which are not raised or kept for the market or other commercial purposes may be kept and liberated for exercise or racing within not less than twenty feet from any door, window or other opening of any dwelling if a permit in writing, authorizing the keeping and liberation for exercise and racing of such carrier and homing pigeons, shall be first applied for and obtained from the council.
B. Application for Permit to Liberate. Every application for a permit to keep and liberate for exercise and racing such carrier and homing pigeons shall be made upon forms to be furnished for that purpose by the Administrative Services Department, signed by the applicant and filed with the Administrative Services Department. The fee to file an application for a Permit to Liberate shall be established by City Council resolution. (Ord. 1629, § 5, 2003)
C. Conditions of Permit to Liberate. Such permits shall be issued by the council upon compliance by the applicant with the following conditions:
1. The lofts or pigeon houses for keeping of such carrier and homing pigeons shall be elevated at least eighteen inches above the ground or other foundation, upon postlegs or pillars; and
2. The entire floor and sides for at least two feet extending upwards from the bottom of the floor of the lofts or pigeon houses shall be covered or protected by galvanized iron, or its equivalent, concrete or eighteen gauge wire mesh of not more than one-half inch of mesh dimension.
D. Term and Renewal of Permit to Liberate. Each permit issued pursuant to the provisions of this section shall be valid for a period of one year from and after the date of issuance and shall be renewable.
E. Sanitation. It shall be the duty of each such permittee to scrape or clean such pigeon lofts and houses wherein such carrier or homing pigeons are kept at least three times each week. (Prior code § 5-1.402)
6.20.030 Pigeons–Confinement periods.
Homing and air-performing pigeons shall be confined within lofts or flypens during periods not to exceed one and one-half hours in the morning and during a like period in the afternoon. (Prior code § 5-1.403)
6.20.040 Pigeons–Flying at large.
High-flying pigeons may be permitted to fly at large at the discretion of their owner provided the flights are continuous and that such pigeons return to their loft immediately upon completion of such flight. (Prior code § 5-1.404)
6.20.050 Pigeons–Capture and detention.
No person, except the owner thereof, shall catch, kill, capture or detain any homing, high-flying or air-performing pigeon which at the time of its capture or detention has upon its leg a seamless numbered band as issued by any national pigeon organization or by the United States Army, Navy or Marine Corps; or which has upon its leg a band bearing the name or initials of its owner; or which has the name of its owner stamped upon a tail or wing feather. No person shall molest a pigeon of the above description which has been grounded by injury or bad weather. (Prior code § 5-1.405)