Councillor warns of rise in anti-social cockerels amid cost of living crisis

A councillor left his colleagues gobsmacked when he raised the issue of a cockerel’s ‘cock-a-doodle-doo’ during a debate on East Ayrshire Council’s anti-social behaviour strategy.

Members had been discussing the draft Anti-Social Behaviour Strategy when Councillor Barry Douglas raised the issue of dog noise, and the powers to deal with owners who use animals to deliberately cause anti-social behaviour.

Former SNP turned independent Councillor David Richardson threw gave an example of the complexity of the problem by talking about people keeping cockerels and hens.

He said that in the post-war years, people kept chickens to provide eggs at a time when finances were tight – a situation that was returning as residents face the cost of living crisis.

However, he said that this had also resulted in claims of anti-social behaviour as the cockerels made themselves known at dawn.

“I have had a number of cases myself regarding animals. I actually think that these cases are on the increase.”

He said that the resurgence in people keeping chickens had also seen complaints about noise.

Cllr Richardson continued: “We are now going back to probably just after the war, when people may have kept a cockerel and three or four hens out their back door.

“That all died away because people became more affluent. Keeping animals out the back door for fresh eggs in the morning disappeared because people could go to the supermarket to buy those fresh eggs.

“Now we’re back where people are keeping a cockerel and a few hens out of the back door, because having fresh eggs will save them a couple of quid.

“That couple of quid has become important again.

“Cockerels are traditional. At the break of dawn they’re doing the ‘cock a doodle doos’ and basically the cockerel is waking up half the street.

“The animal itself if behaving with its natural instincts – when daylight breaks a cockerel makes it known.

“The animal has rights, but the people in the street have the right to have a lie in until their alarm goes off.

“These cases are very, very difficult cases.”

He added that the council had limited powers and that people could take matters through the civil courts.

“My point is that with the cost of living happening, you are going to see more and more of these cases.”

He then referenced the 70s sitcom ‘The Good Life’ about a couple who work to be self-sufficient, growing their own food.

Provost Claire Leitch took a moment to compose herself before telling Cllr Richardson “you had me when you said cock a doodle doos’.

Councillor Barry Douglas had acknowledged that the issue of animals and anti-social behaviour was complex and suggested that there was an issue around those using animals ‘to deliberately cause anti-social behaviour’.

He pointed out that the legislation was more than twenty years old and that ‘the world had moved on‘ and such changes could be merited.