BANGOR, Maine — A family in Bangor is breathing a sigh of relief after winning their fight to keep what they call "emotional support chickens," in their backyard.
The city of Bangor’s ordinance would normally prohibit chickens in their neighborhood, but the city appeals board is granting an exception.
The family of 25-year-old C-Jay Martin who was born with developmental challenges has asked the board to grant them permission to keep their livestock. Martin's disability is coupled with anxiety and depression, which his mother said increased during the COVID-19 pandemic.
With functional limitations imposed by his disability, Martin's health caregiver said these prescribed chickens help provide the emotional support he needs to cope.
In February, Amy Martin, C-Jay's mother, asked the city for permission to house these chickens, but the Bangor City charter states keeping farm animals in urban areas is against the law.
Despite pushback from some residents, Martin's immediate neighbors didn't seem bothered by the feathered friends.
The Martins’ long-time neighbor, Imke Jandreau, says their tight-knit community wasn't even aware any chickens were being kept in the Martin's backyard.
“These are a non-issue for the neighbors. It's not like it's a noisy pet," said Jandreau. "This is not disruptive in any way to the rest of our lives. But we do know this is good for C-Jay."
On Thursday at the City of Bangor’s Board of Appeals hearing, one neighbor voiced her concerns about rodent sightings, particularly rats, that have coincidentally been showing up since the chickens arrived.
The Board of Appeal considered all health concerns before granting the application to keep the emotional support chickens and offered plausible explanations for an increase in rodents not just in that location, but throughout the city.
Taking the Martin family's unique circumstances under advisement, the city approved their application, with the stipulation that the city's health officer could remove the animals if a breach ever occurred.
Bangor's city solicitor David Szewczyk made it clear that these accommodations would only pertain to this particular applicant and property.
Should the Martin family decide to move and want to keep the chickens they would have to reapply for consideration.
A notice of the board's decision will be released to the public in a week.
For now, the Martins are celebrating a win after a hard fight.