Foul Play

Kamloops will not be welcoming Urban Hens this spring as City Council has voted against our pilot project in favor of keeping the status quo and their heads buried in the sand. Granted, we did win over a few more councilors, some of whom have become very enthusiastic supporters. It was also encouraging that they debated our case for a full hour (visibly longer than Mayor Millobar wished to endure) and the vote ended in a tie which means a defeat. Once again the meeting room was packed out with chicken supporters, some sporting hen shaped tea cozies or paper-mache chicken helmets on their heads - I'm not sure if this actually helped our cause, but it showed spirit nonetheless. By-laws department was raked over the coals for their negative recommendation that lacked a revised pilot project option which it was supposed to include.  Also absent from the recommendation was any positive insight that might have been gained had they contacted other large cities that have made urban hens work. After the motion to allow the project was defeated, Councilor Wallace - possibly wanting to have the last word - launched into a speech about how we were doomed to fail from the beginning. She declared that she used to have chickens (many, many years ago) and advised everyone against them and shame on us for expecting by-law officers to have to stick their heads in smelly coops....etc. We were all shuffling out by then.

Our next move has yet to be decided, but one thing is for sure, it is just the beginning for the Urban Hens Movement in Kamloops.