Dear Council Members,
I�m writing to clarify The HSUS position on the ordinance you
are considering. We are not opposed to this ordinance. We have been
active in several efforts to allow urban egg-producing hens in other cities and
have developed our position on that issue well. Our letter on the topic
was aimed at raising important welfare considerations for chickens. Our
position on urban goats is far less refined. It�s an issue that raises
several questions for us but we have not developed guidelines on urban goat care
nor researched successful attempts to house urban goats and use them for
food.
Since sending our letter I�ve been in touch with Sustainable
Food Denver and learned many details about urban homesteading. I
understand this issue to be well researched by SFD and, in many cases, already
in practice. In short, I think our letter posed questions that have long
since been satisfactorily answered by the progressive, professional and
well-organized sustainable food movement in Denver. Most importantly, I
understand Denver animal control to be in favor of this ordinance. I hope
their support will weigh heavily in this debate- as the enforcing agency their
support is a clear sign of a broad-based community effort.
I am grateful for the relationships that have resulted from
our involvement in this issue and thankful for SFD�s effort to bring
people closer to their food and further from factory farmed products that cause
animals to suffer immensely. I apologize for any insinuation that The HSUS
is opposed to this ordinance.
Thanks so much for your time.
Holly
Tarry
Colorado
Director, State Affairs
htarry@humanesociety.org
t
303.475.4605
The
Humane Society of the United States
12081 W. Alameda Pkwy, #261 Lakewood, CO
80228
humanesociety.org
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