The Tao of Poo

For all of the people who complain about burdensome government regulations, there’s another group of people who complain that there are not enough rules.

For example, people who hate their neighbors. Where a property owner’s rights end and a neighbor’s rights begin is a debate that will never end.

The latest example? A woman who lives in a $500,000 home in Northeast Hazel Dell and who does not appreciate her neighbor’s 40 rabbits and the smell of the accumulated waste. She sent pictures to Axel Swanson, the senior policy advisor to Clark County commissioners, who passed around one photo to commissioners last week during board time.

The photo wasn’t of great quality, so I didn’t try to scan it and post it here, but let’s just say that if you are a fan of Cocoa Puffs, you would not be able to stomach them after seeing this photograph of mounds of rabbit turds. And fortunately this was not a scratch-and-sniff picture.

Swanson told commissioners that the woman was upset that while the county mandates odor, noise and manure management plans (among other requirements) for urban livestock, it exempts small livestock “that are either caged or that spend all hours indoors.”

The rabbits are caged and live in what looks like a large shed.

Swanson said the woman wants the county to amend the urban livestock code. Even if commissioners address housed rabbits, it wouldn’t help the woman, as her neighbor’s rabbits would be grandfathered in under the current code.

Commissioner Steve Stuart said the woman has a point.

“Rabbits and chickens stink too,” he said.

“I’m concerned how far we are going to get into it,” said Commissioner Tom Mielke.

Responded Stuart: “You mean how deep?”