By Canadian Press

Montreal animal shelter grappling with growing number of abandoned chickens

May 6, 2019 | 8:33 AM

MONTREAL — Animal welfare officials in Montreal are adding chickens to the list of abandoned creatures landing at their doorstep.

While dogs, cats and rabbits are par for the course, it appears a recent rise in urban farming has led to an increase in the number of unwanted chickens.

A spokeswoman for the Montreal branch for the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals says Montreal reported 20 abandoned chickens in 2016, and last year there were 38.

Anita Kapuscinska says part of the problem is that a lot of people don’t know what they’re getting into when they decide to begin backyard egg production.

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In some cases they fail to consider what they’ll do once the chicken stops producing eggs, or if they end up with a rooster.

Kapuscinska says the SPCA does not encourage urban chicken farming, even though the practice is driven by not wanting to encourage factory farms.

The Canadian Press