Allowing backyard hens in Surrey BC would be an important step forward towards health and sustainability, aside from its significant educational value in loving animals and responsible backyard hobby farming. It is a basic human right to eat grass-fed healthy eggs from your own property, rather than buying them filled with hormones, antibiotics and chemicals, artificially raised by large producers. Not to mention the inhumane treatment those poor animals receive, the crowding of flocks in small battery cages, the deformities they develop, and the rest of the animal welfare issues involved.
Would the big chicken farms keep raising chickens in battery cages if we had our own free range eggs? Eggs are one of the best and easiest to process proteing, filled with vitamins, when chickens can roam freely, eat grass, worms and insects, like they are supposed to.
The bylaw has been changed in surrounding cities like Vancouver and Langley, to allow keeping up to 5 hens (no rooster) in the backyard. However, in Surrey it is illegal, and if you have even one hen you are harrassed by enforcement officers until you become exasperated and get rid of them.
Numerous families have tried to stir up some waves and have this bylaw changed, but the application fee is very high, and fighting alone does not lead to any significant impact when you deal with a stubborn City. The only way to succeed is to unite for this cause together, and to let our elected officials know what we want, and how they will continue to have our support.
Please sign this petition, which will be submitted with our application to change this ridiculous bylaw.
We are also fundraising to cover the application fee, which is $3,300 between the two separate charges involved. To give securely towards this cause, please go to our Facebook Fundrazr, which processes secure PayPal payments (including by credit card). Any amount would be significant, and you can follow as the financial goal is slowly moving towards completion.
Thank you for making a difference, one signature or donation at a time.
To City of Surrey, British Columbia
Please take not that we, the citizens of Surrey, BC, who elected you in your leadership positions, want to have the bylaw 4.7 (a) changed, in order to allow up to five backyard hens on properties under 1 acre in RF zoning . Such bylaw has already been changed in surrounding cities like Vancouver and Langley, and it is our human right to raise our own free range eggs. This request is very much in line with the federal and provincial efforts towards sustainability and a greener earth.
