Petition urges City of Cambridge to allow backyard chickens

A petition is calling for the City of Cambridge to allow backyard chickens. CTV’s Heather Senoran reports.

A new petition is asking the City of Cambridge to allow residents to keep chickens in their backyards.

The idea is not a new one. In 2019, Cambridge council voted against permitting the poultry within the city limits, however surrounding communities, such as Kitchener, Waterloo and Wilmot Township, allow the backyard birds.

There are some exceptions to the rule, such as Vlad Anghel. Anghel lives in Cambridge and got a doctor’s note to keep chickens.

“My doctor happens to be in Kitchener, where obviously, you’re allowed to have chickens,” Anghel said. “A few of his patients already have them and they were great for anxiety and depression.”

Anghel built his own coop and currently has six chickens including a pair named Lindsay Lo-hen and Jennifer Lopez, who is also known as ‘Henny from the Flock.’

Anghel raised the birds since they were young. He said they’re very friendly and have helped his mental health.

“They do give you a sense of peace and order.”

Anghel’s wife and kids have also become attached to the animals.

“If I open the door for [the chickens], they’ll follow me around the whole backyard. They think I’m their leader or their mom or whatever,” he said.

His hens have become neighbourhood celebrities, with kids coming over to spend time with the little flock.

“Hence why we got so many [petition signatures] from this neighbourhood. A lot of them are my neighbours and my friends. We could start a little chicken army is we had to,” he said.

Anghel said he has also noticed other benefits.

“I used to get all sorts of bugs. I haven’t had a single problem this year,” he said. “Our food waste has dropped by 80 per cent.”

However, other chicken owners in Cambridge haven’t been as lucky.

Justin Vanhevel lives in the Hespeler area and has four hens. Bylaw officers stopped by last month and told him he has to get rid of the birds.

“Oct. 22 is when I was issued my notice saying you have until the 11^th to remove them,” Vanhevel said.

Originally, he bought the birds because he wanted access to cheaper eggs and to teach his daughter about where food comes from.

“My egg cost right now is below $2.50 a pound,” he said.

Vanhevel’s birds are being rehomed to another area outside of the city this week, but his daughter is not happy about the move.

“They’re just so curious and loving,” Octavia, his daughter, said.

Vanhevel plans to visit his hens and hopes to one day have them back, if the bylaws allow it.

As of Tuesday, almost 1,200 people have signed the petition to allow backyard chickens in Cambridge.

CTV News reached out to the city, but did not hear back by our deadline.