Damon and Racheal’s conflict with the Village of Beverly Hills, Michigan, has been an ongoing back-and-forth dispute. The couple has received an ordinance violation for keeping chickens as pets in their backyard – something they have been doing for the past three years. Now, they are fighting to clarify whether Birmingham’s local pet ownership ordinance extends to chickens.
The pair has decided to fight to maintain the coexistence with their chickens with the village’s zoning board of appeals, with a meeting scheduled for the near future.
Their feathered companions aren’t just livestock; they are considered part of the family. Each chicken even has a name. Take Taylor for instance, named after popular singer Taylor Swift – much like Swift steals the stage, this chicken is the center of attention in the couple’s backyard.
“Chicken are pets,” Damon affirms. Racheal, who has served as the president pro-tem of the Beverly Hills Village Council since 2018, agrees. However, not all residents in Beverly Hills see eye-to-eye with this.
The animal ordinance in Beverly Hills doesn’t explicitly mention chickens – it only notes that residents can keep animals generally considered as pets. Thus, there has been a continuous debate about whether chickens qualify for this classification.
Back in 2018, there were similar altercations when a group of people initiated a petition to allow chickens to be kept on properties within the village, garnering support from over 400 people. However, this petition didn’t lead to any definitive change in the ordinance.
Later, in 2021, while the Beverly Hills Village Council was pondering over the allowance of chicken coops on private property, residents had put up anti-chicken signs, showing their disagreement. No formal changes were made to the ordinance after this incident either.
Due to the heated debates and strong opinions on both sides, some locals have voiced their strong beliefs: “Everyone’s fired up again, so you’ll see quite a bit of activism from the community,” noted one resident who doesn’t agree with the idea that chickens can be considered pets.
As the situation remains undecided, the larger question at hand surfaces – Are chickens pets or livestock? And, will a judge make a ruling to set a landmark court decision on pet ownership?
For aspiring chicken owners in several cities across Michigan, including Allen Park, Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, Dearborn, Dearborn Heights, Detroit, Farmington, Flint, Mount Clemens, Oak Park, and Plymouth, owning chickens as pets still remains a grey area and local ordinances need to be checked before proceeding.
Author: STAFF HERE NOVI WRITER
The NOVI STAFF WRITER represents the experienced team at HERENovi.com, your go-to source for actionable local news and information in Novi, Oakland County, and beyond. Specializing in "news you can use," we cover essential topics like product reviews for personal and business needs, local business directories, politics, real estate trends, neighborhood insights, and state news affecting the area—with deep expertise drawn from years of dedicated reporting and strong community input, including local press releases and business updates. We deliver top reporting on high-value events such as Motor City Comic Con, Michigan State Fair, and Novi Home and Garden Show. Our coverage extends to key organizations like the Novi Chamber of Commerce and Novi Community Foundation, plus leading businesses in automotive, technology, and manufacturing that power the local economy such as Gentherm, Stoneridge, and Daifuku North America. As part of the broader HERE network, including HEREDetroitMI.com, HEREGrandRapids.com, HERENorthville.com, and HEREPlymouth.com, we provide comprehensive, credible insights into Michigan's dynamic landscape.
