[ksee4]

I have A neighbor that has about 12 goats, many chickens and a couple roosters. The goats have recently started running loose. Driving me batty. Is there an ordinance on livestock in neighborhoods or subdivisions?

[confederaterose]

I researched this for my neighbor, who has chickens and was being harrassed by an other neighbor, who keep calling the Marshall. As I recall the requirement is 5 acres.

You can go to www.paulding.gov and read all the ordanances.

[rockysmom]

I think zoning and/or your CC&R's would prohibit it.

[Garden Girl]

I have never understood why people that want Farm Animals would move to a subdivision.

[Animal]

I only have pigs,a few chickens and 4 goats but that is it. oh and the dogs & cats too

This post has been edited by Animal: 14 May 2012 - 08:02 PM

[sunny]

ksee4, on 14 May 2012 - 06:56 PM, said:

I have A neighbor that has about 12 goats, many chickens and a couple roosters. The goats have recently started running loose. Driving me batty. Is there an ordinance on livestock in neighborhoods or subdivisions?

If it is a subdivision, and less than 5 acres. They are not. Report it to the Marshall's.

[Mrs G]

What s/d, if I may ask?? You may want to go to the courthouse and find out "IF" your s/d has any covenants, If so, they should have been filed in the courthouse,by the builder, when your s/d was built.

[browndog]

Have you thought about talking with them before taking it to the Marshall's office? They can find out who reported them and then also file for a variance.

[rockysmom]

browndog, on 14 May 2012 - 08:17 PM, said:

Have you thought about talking with them before taking it to the Marshall's office? They can find out who reported them and then also file for a variance.

I'm with you Browndog, maybe you can speak to them. Perhaps if you approached it like you would hate for anything to happen to their animals. You never know, they may appreciate it.

I don't think you want to get Into warring with your neighbor.

[cna2005]

We live in a subdivison in Burnt Hickory Community and PS says it is okay for our neighbor to have chickens

[i_have3dogs]

I want a goat.

[DreamGirl]

i_have3dogs, on 14 May 2012 - 09:12 PM, said:

I want a goat.

I want a horse.
And a cannon.

[lowrider]

I want a paddle boat.

[DreamGirl]

lowrider, on 14 May 2012 - 09:27 PM, said:

I want a paddle boat.

[ChocoMare]

Goats are God's escape artists. They're fun to have around, but truly: you need very good fencing with small holes and a TIGHT line of barbed wire at ground level to deter them from shimmying under it.

As far as them being in sub-divisions, as long as ordinance okee-dokee's it, it's not a big deal as long as they are properly contained behind their fencing BUT!!!!... I can only pray that said goat owners are properly deworming their goats. Goats are very prone to Lung Worm and it is a horrible, horrible way for a goat to die. Totally preventable, but many people just don't know enough about proper deworming.

[orrby]

I was told a year or so ago, No farm animals of any type where allowed in subdivisions.. Call Marshall's office,in Paulding Co. and just ask. They can look it up and even get a copy of your subdivision covenants.

[Brad_W]

It really depends more on if the s/d you live in has covenants, which will likely prohibit things like that. If it does not, then its the zoning laws. I'd suggest seeing what the property is zoned, and then what you can have on that particular type of zoning. I know where I am at, goofy as it may sound, I could have horses and cattle long as my property is fenced. There's no way I'd put either one of them on my lot in my s/d, but the zoning code says its ok for me to have them. Many times the person working at the county doesn't know the code that well, believe it or not, so do your own research. But if they are getting out, then its more of a nuisance law issue, no different than if their dogs were running loose on your property. If the roosters are crowing at all hours, no different than if they had a dog that barked its head off for long periods of time. Personally, I'd just go over and talk with them rather than try to call enforcement on them. You would probably have better results if they are reasonable people.

[Marteen-J]

what about bees? are they considered livestock?

[ksee4]

browndog, on 14 May 2012 - 08:17 PM, said:

Have you thought about talking with them before taking it to the Marshall's office? They can find out who reported them and then also file for a variance.

I HAVE SPOKEN TO THEM SEVERAL TIMES IN THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS. UP UNTIL THEN, THEY WERE NOT A BIG PROBLEM. JUST LOSTS OF NOISE. BUT IT SEEMS THE ARE MULTIPLYING LIKE CRAZY. THEY DON'T SEEM TO CONCERNED THAT THEY ARE LOOSE.

[Brad_W]

Marteen-J, on 15 May 2012 - 07:45 AM, said:

what about bees? are they considered livestock?

No, as there's no difference in a honeybee in someone's hive and one found in the wild. There's a state law on the books anyway that protects against zoning/outlawing them out. Beings they all look the same, its pretty impossible to say that a honeybee drinking from your bird fountain or hummingbird feeder belongs to some fellow down the road. Honeybee's will range for up to 5 miles to forage.

[PcsCharli]

In our subdivision, we have a person with a pig, some with goats , and some with chickens. I have chickens too! Someone called on the pig, because it was getting loose and running aroung the area. animal control said that with all the cuts they've been through, they have more important things to do than to harass people with a few extra "pets". They can't even answer calls for loose and possibly dangerous dogs, etc. They only go out for actual dog bite cases.
Have you been to the shelter lately? The animals are dirty, no one is available to answer questions, they don't do "house checks" for possible adopters-THERE IS NO MONEY!! There is possible Parvo on the grounds but they don't have the man power to eliminate it. I've called about a pack of coyotes that are praying on livestock, and challenging humans. They have yet to answer me. We have several small children in the area who can't go out to play in the yard. They have torn down fencing to get to pets.
I am not accusing the employees of not doing their job, but I am accusing the county of takeing to much money away from them, and preventing them from doing the job we need them to do. The employees are doing the best they can.
Seems to me that the best way to handle this is to talk to your neighbor. You'll have a better relationship with them, and might actually acomplish something. You can only hope so anyway.

[The Postman]

A happy medium is something we will all have to strive for, because acreage is becoming less and less an option. But, people still need their animals, for whatever reason. Whether it's for food or pet, we love animals.

If you have to move off your farm for a half acre lot, and you love to at least have a few chickens, like the man who committed suicide, here in Georgia, because the government was coming after his chickens. A happy medium has to be reached, or we let animal lovers kill themselves. .

[Beau Weneroux]

perhaps harvesting said animals would be a satisfactory resolution?

[SOLO]

ksee4, on 15 May 2012 - 08:19 AM, said:

I HAVE SPOKEN TO THEM SEVERAL TIMES IN THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS. UP UNTIL THEN, THEY WERE NOT A BIG PROBLEM. JUST LOSTS OF NOISE. BUT IT SEEMS THE ARE MULTIPLYING LIKE CRAZY. THEY DON'T SEEM TO CONCERNED THAT THEY ARE LOOSE.

I so feel your pain. Been there done that. I can tell you the only thing that the people understood about the goats running around here was a neighbour told them if they came into his yard again he was going to shoot them and he meant it. Every farm animal they get ....a horse, two goats, and chickens they let run loose to eat ,sheeze ,and destroy everyone else yards and plants.

[krwills]

AKKK!! You all know I just have to walk away from this topic.
Good luck!
I "above and beyond" feel your pain.

[Gone]

PcsCharli, on 16 May 2012 - 09:34 AM, said:

I've called about a pack of coyotes that are praying on livestock, and challenging humans. They have yet to answer me. We have several small children in the area who can't go out to play in the yard. They have torn down fencing to get to pets.

Why don't y'all take care of the yote problem yourselves?

Heck.you could go to the animal shelter and get a kitten.Tie it out for bait,then shoot the coyotes.Problem solved,you've eliminated yotes and saved a cat.

[Brad_W]

thedeerslayer, on 17 May 2012 - 09:22 AM, said:

Why don't y'all take care of the yote problem yourselves?

Heck.you could go to the animal shelter and get a kitten.Tie it out for bait,then shoot the coyotes.Problem solved,you've eliminated yotes and saved a cat.

Its open season on coyotes (no closed season, no real restrictions), and you can even hunt them at night with lights. If you wanted to handle them quietly, a scoped crossbow does an excellent job.

As far as the goats running loose, BBQ goat is pretty good. Or "relocate it" to someone else who owns goats and keeps them responsibly.

This post has been edited by Brad_W: 17 May 2012 - 09:39 AM

[BGR853]

Coyotes are becoming a big problem in East Paulding. Some of my students saw one in my next door neighbor's driveway at about 1:00 in the afternoon a couple of weeks ago. They killed one of barn cats last week.

[PcsCharli]

thedeerslayer, on 17 May 2012 - 09:22 AM, said:

Why don't y'all take care of the yote problem yourselves?

Heck.you could go to the animal shelter and get a kitten.Tie it out for bait,then shoot the coyotes.Problem solved,you've eliminated yotes and saved a cat.

We're planning on a "yote possee". We're gonna have someone with a tractor tear up their den ( we know exactly where it is-there are about 30 or so of them in there), and the rest of us are going to wait outside the area and shoot to kill as they come out. It is a very urban area-across the street from the Publix in New Georgia. The den is in an old basement of a house in that triangle of woods across the street. I hope we don't get in trouble for it, but it has to be done.

[Gone]

PcsCharli, on 17 May 2012 - 09:49 AM, said:

We're planning on a "yote possee". We're gonna have someone with a tractor tear up their den ( we know exactly where it is-there are about 30 or so of them in there), and the rest of us are going to wait outside the area and shoot to kill as they come out. It is a very urban area-across the street from the Publix in New Georgia. The den is in an old basement of a house in that triangle of woods across the street. I hope we don't get in trouble for it, but it has to be done.

Wheweee

Now that sounds like fun.

[browndog]

ksee4, on 15 May 2012 - 08:19 AM, said:

I HAVE SPOKEN TO THEM SEVERAL TIMES IN THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS. UP UNTIL THEN, THEY WERE NOT A BIG PROBLEM. JUST LOSTS OF NOISE. BUT IT SEEMS THE ARE MULTIPLYING LIKE CRAZY. THEY DON'T SEEM TO CONCERNED THAT THEY ARE LOOSE.

I suggested this not know all the background. I had a neighbor report me to the Marshall's office over fenced and contained chickens (laying hens). They never talked to me about them and they never showed at my hearing. They did it out of spite and it cost me a ton of $$$ to keep my pets. A small flock of 6 laying hens are not noisy, odor producing, or harmful.

The very confusing thing is that the code on your tax bill is not how you are classified when it comes to zoning. My tax bill has me listed as R-3 but there is no such zone in the county. All the codes from R-2 apply to R-3 tax bills as well. You have to have a certain front back and each side distance between the property lines and the animals.

Maybe this needs to be pointed out and the fact that they may face a fine or have their animals taken or have to file a variance (which will cost about $1000) without a guarantee it will be granted in order to try to keep their animals.

[krwills]

browndog, on 17 May 2012 - 01:12 PM, said:

I suggested this not know all the background. I had a neighbor report me to the Marshall's office over fenced and contained chickens (laying hens). They never talked to me about them and they never showed at my hearing. They did it out of spite and it cost me a ton of $$$ to keep my pets. A small flock of 6 laying hens are not noisy, odor producing, or harmful.

The very confusing thing is that the code on your tax bill is not how you are classified when it comes to zoning. My tax bill has me listed as R-3 but there is no such zone in the county. All the codes from R-2 apply to R-3 tax bills as well. You have to have a certain front back and each side distance between the property lines and the animals.

Maybe this needs to be pointed out and the fact that they may face a fine or have their animals taken or have to file a variance (which will cost about $1000) without a guarantee it will be granted in order to try to keep their animals.

I'm guessing this WAS NOT Paulding County?

[browndog]

krwills, on 17 May 2012 - 01:29 PM, said:

I'm guessing this WAS NOT Paulding County?

Oh yes it was!!

You can look it up on the County Website, Planning and Zoning Division.

[The Postman]

krwills, on 17 May 2012 - 01:29 PM, said:

I'm guessing this WAS NOT Paulding County?

I lived on 2 acres, in Paulding county, but could not keep my Chihuahua's. It would seem that 2 acres is big enough for a few Chihuahua"s especially if there is pasture land on all sides of the two acre tract, but the county was going to confiscate my Chihuahua's. I saved them by buying a 5+ acre tract, of land, and moving. It was very expensive, but I saved my Chihuahua's.

This post has been edited by The Postman: 17 May 2012 - 05:15 PM

[krwills]

And I could get NOTHING done in Paulding County about my neighbor bringing in animals for his dogs to kill and injure, for years.
Hundreds of animals died at his hands and I could get nothing done to him. Animal Control would come and haul off many animals at a time....time after time.
My stomach still churns every time I think of him. He is still there. I am not.
He was never taken to court for his charges, that I know of.
I still have pictures of some of the horror!

[browndog]

krwills, on 18 May 2012 - 11:51 AM, said:

And I could get NOTHING done in Paulding County about my neighbor bringing in animals for his dogs to kill and injure, for years.
Hundreds of animals died at his hands and I could get nothing done to him. Animal Control would come and haul off many animals at a time....time after time.
My stomach still churns every time I think of him. He is still there. I am not.
He was never taken to court for his charges, that I know of.
I still have pictures of some of the horror!

It was a zoning variance hearing not a hearing of charges brought against me. The Zoning and Planning board sent me a letter and gave me 10 days to get rid of the chickens before I faced a fine. I filed for a variance to change the easements so I could keep them. It was not cheap. Involved a survey (rush put on it) and then a fee to even be heard by the board.

[Mr.Dis]

Brad_W, on 17 May 2012 - 09:37 AM, said:

Its open season on coyotes (no closed season, no real restrictions), and you can even hunt them at night with lights. If you wanted to handle them quietly, a scoped crossbow does an excellent job.

As far as the goats running loose, BBQ goat is pretty good. Or "relocate it" to someone else who owns goats and keeps them responsibly.

Dude your bees were hunting me the other day and I got the welts to prove it. But I guess I won't have to pay for the alternative arthritis treatent I got huh. I can say that hurt far worse than I expected for a honey bee. Owweee

[Brad_W]

Mr.Dis, on 18 May 2012 - 08:16 PM, said:

Dude your bees were hunting me the other day and I got the welts to prove it. But I guess I won't have to pay for the alternative arthritis treatent I got huh. I can say that hurt far worse than I expected for a honey bee. Owweee

Sorry they nailed you while you were out at the house. They are running pretty wide open now with full hives and it looks like an airport out back at times with all of the coming/going back there.

[boxerlvr]

The Postman, on 17 May 2012 - 05:13 PM, said:

I lived on 2 acres, in Paulding county, but could not keep my Chihuahua's. It would seem that 2 acres is big enough for a few Chihuahua"s especially if there is pasture land on all sides of the two acre tract, but the county was going to confiscate my Chihuahua's. I saved them by buying a 5+ acre tract, of land, and moving. It was very expensive, but I saved my Chihuahua's.

i worked at Paulding County Animal Control for 6 years until the wonderful county budget cuts last June. In Paulding County you can have as many domestic animals as you want if you have more than 1/3 of a acre. They do not take you dogs away. There had to be something else going on, Where you breeding them? If so than that would be the reason.

In reference to livestock. You CANNOT have livestock in a subdivision! ordinance states for chickens is the chicken house needs to be 250 feet from the sides of your property line and 350 feet from the front and back property line. So you could have 5 acres and still not have the proper footage. You land could be long and not wide. The best way to see if you are zoned for livestock is to go to planning and zoning and they will tell you. You CANNOT have any type of farm animals in a subdivision unless maybe you were grandfathered in. Farm animals include chickens. rabbits, goats, pigs, pot belly pigs etc. You can only have domestic animals. If you are breeding you also need to go to plannng and zoning because you have to have a certain amount of property for that.
Call Animal Control 770-445-1511 if you have any problems and talk to Aileen she is the road officer supervisor.
I hope i have answered some question. If not throw them at me and I will try to help you out as best as I can.
This is the way it was 1 year ago any I only know of a couple of changes since than. The changes have not been changes in the ordinance it is just what AC is doing. As they will not go on your property and take you dog if it is loose and you are not home.

[boxerlvr]

PcsCharli, on 16 May 2012 - 09:34 AM, said:

In our subdivision, we have a person with a pig, some with goats , and some with chickens. I have chickens too! Someone called on the pig, because it was getting loose and running aroung the area. animal control said that with all the cuts they've been through, they have more important things to do than to harass people with a few extra "pets". They can't even answer calls for loose and possibly dangerous dogs, etc. They only go out for actual dog bite cases.
Have you been to the shelter lately? The animals are dirty, no one is available to answer questions, they don't do "house checks" for possible adopters-THERE IS NO MONEY!! There is possible Parvo on the grounds but they don't have the man power to eliminate it. I've called about a pack of coyotes that are praying on livestock, and challenging humans. They have yet to answer me. We have several small children in the area who can't go out to play in the yard. They have torn down fencing to get to pets.
I am not accusing the employees of not doing their job, but I am accusing the county of takeing to much money away from them, and preventing them from doing the job we need them to do. The employees are doing the best they can.
Seems to me that the best way to handle this is to talk to your neighbor. You'll have a better relationship with them, and might actually acomplish something. You can only hope so anyway.

The county still has a budget of $500,000. The only person that is not there anylonger is me. They still had 4 road officers until just recently when one quit do to moving and they have the position posted to replace him. They are also hiring a partime kennel person. In reference to Coyotes this is not a domestic animal therefore Animal Control doesn't handle it. You need to call DNR. You can also rent a dog trap for $25 from Animal Control to try and catch the coyote. There was a loose pitt in my neighborhood about a month ago that killed a Chihuahua and they were her a couple of times to get it. They are still taking those loose and dangerous dog calls.
You dont have a possible parvo. You either have it or you don't . They have been closed about 4 times since Christmas for Parvo. Parvo is more than likely brought in from the outside. When a stay comes to the shelter it already has it and doesnt break until it is at the shelter. Parvo maynot break for 10 days. Parvo is not the fault of the shelter it is the fault of the people in the community not vaccinating their pets properly. The shelter does do a through cleaning every morning with bleach and a parvocide. Parvo is in the ground and can be on the shopping carts when you bring you animals to petsmart. You put your dog in the cart or let it walk around and there bang your dog now has been exposed to it. People think it is fun to bring their dogs to the store however you are exposing them to everything especially at this time of the year.
Paulding County has just done the right thing by quarenting the facility if there is a positive parvo case. There are alot of shelters that have positive cases that do not do this and the public has no idea. It makes Paulding look bad but is no fault of theirs.
As far as house checks AC has not done that since the Marshalls office took over 2 years ago. It wasn't the AC budget cut because it is the same . It is the Marshalls dept that is decided it is not needed.
The animals should be clean as the inmates are at the shelter all day and used to only be there until 12pm. So if you look at it that way they actually have more people there to clean and take care of the animals and the place shold be spotless.

This post has been edited by boxerlvr: 21 May 2012 - 08:13 AM