Family fights to keep therapeutic chickens amid rezoning dispute

WESTMORELAND COUNTY, Pa. — A Westmoreland County family was hit with a zoning violation after receiving a complaint about their chickens.

“This came as a bit of a shock to us because it’s been about four years,” Sharon Downing said.

Throughout the years, the Downing family has grown accustomed to having chickens around.

“You can just cuddle them, which a chicken being cuddly, I know how crazy that sounds,” said Sarah Downing. “But it helps, it really does.”

Now this family is fighting to keep some of the chickens, an animal that therapeutically helps 15-year-old Sarah Downing.

“I’ll overthink stuff and normal anxiety and I’ll get super worked up over nothing and that will interfere with me focusing on other things,” Downing said.

Since moving into their Western Avenue home in 2010, the township redistricted and the zoning changed from residential to village residential.

Under the new zoning the township doesn’t allow any type of agriculture.

The Downings are paying $1,500 to file an appeal, hoping to change the minds of the zoning board.

The family has gained so much support, they have an online petition to help offset legal costs.

In the meantime, they hope they can harbor enough support, to at least keep a handful of chickens or get a variance to keep them.

An appeals hearing is expected for June 14.

Cox Media Group