I’m very proud to say that my beautiful grandmother was a member of the Women’s Army Corp in the 1940s. That’s her in the middle.
Veteran’s Day and the law reminds me of the day that I found out that I couldn’t evict a man who was keeping chickens in his apartment. Yes, you read that right. Chickens with an S at the end. When I was first handed the file from a corporate client, I really didn’t anticipate a problem. When a property manager tells me that there is a man who stubbornly insists that his chickens should be allowed to stay in his apartment because they are well-trained it still pretty much indicates that I have a good case.
The first thing that I was unprepared for that day was that I was going to court in an area that describes itself as a mountain town at the corner of peace and charm. The second thing that I was unprepared for was John Mark. He showed up in green military field jacket and jeans along with some brown work boots. He was clean shaven and had a gentle face that looked rugged, and a bit worn. When he began to speak about his chickens that he was keeping in his apartment, I expected the crazy to come out but much to my surprise, it was quite the opposite.
John Mark described programs like Coop for Troops and Pets for Vets which are programs that commit to training service animals and working with Veterans who have PTSD. They promote mobilization, combat depression, loneliness, and promote keeping a schedule and maintaining a routine.
In this particular case, John Mark explained that, unlike his neighbor’s animals, his chickens stayed inside, and he constantly cleaned up after them. There were no odors, and they did not in any way damage the apartment. They didn’t violate the pet policy of the apartment complex which did permit pets but restricted certain types of dogs and did require pet deposits which he was willing to pay. He established under the Fair Housing Act that he was a disabled veteran and provided paperwork that he had been given the chickens as part of his disability and therapy. He then showed pictures of his apartment, and I have to say, it was neater than most places I see covered in cat and dog hair.
So, to all of those Veterans suffering from disabilities both visible and unseen, we salute you and thank you for your service. You can have your chickens and eat your eggs too!
