Critters

“What kind of problems will we have with chickens?”

Gail Howe, Mayor of Pateros, Washington

Animals are in the news—small town news, at least. Here’s a roundup of stories that’ve moseyed across my desk lately.


Chicken Out
No chickens allowed. That’s what voters in Pateros, Washington (population 624) said after a quick vote last month. Lots of towns, and even big cities like Chicago and New York, have been rewriting the rules to allow homeowners to keep a few hens for fresh eggs. But not the folks in Pateros. They say their on-call animal control officer is busy enough keeping an eye on dog owners who run afoul of the law; she doesn't have time to run herd on a bunch of chickens, too. One family in town does have chickens, but it’s no big deal. Part of their property sits outside city limits so they’ve set up a nice little place in the country for their hens.
Read the Article ® Pateros says “no” to small-town chickens

Groundhog Day

No hitchhiking allowed. That’s what one driver in Whitehall, Pennsylvania (population 13, 397) said after giving a ride to an uninvited guest: a groundhog. Actually, the young man screamed when he saw the groundhog, but the message was the same. The groundhog, which wasn’t discovered until the next morning, chewed up one seat and pooped throughout the car. The hairy hitchhiker was big news in Whitehall: it got the attention of the neighborhood (maybe it was the scream), took two calls to the police, took another call to the Fish and Game Commission, and even scored a visit from the mayor. The groundhog was last seen sharing a photo op with the mayor before being carted off.
Read the Article ® Driver doesn't dig hitchhiking critter


 Gone to the Frogs
Frogs welcome. The folks in Milton-Freewater, Oregon (population 6,319) have been been overrun by frogs. At first there was alarm, and then frustration. But six years ago, when someone changed the welcome sign from “Welcome to Milton-Freewater” to “Welcome to Muddy Frogwater,” instead of getting hopping made, town leaders thought, what the heck—let’s go with it. The town now holds a Logs to Frogs carving contest in July and The Muddy Frogwater Festival in August. Sounds like a “ribbeting” good time.
Read the Article ® The city that's gone to the frogs