Woman Files Federal Lawsuit to Keep Her Chickens

A woman in Florida has filed a lawsuit to keep her pet chickens, which were prescribed to her by her psychiatrists to help her cope with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

According to Karen Morris of Fort Myers, Lee County authorities violated the Fair Housing Act by demanding her to relocate her chickens within 30 days and pay US$ 285 fine or face eviction.

County authorities, on the other hand, claim that Morris is violating zoning codes and may need to pay US$25 every day she keeps her chicken once the 30 days are finished. It's a motion that Morris is battling.

Morris also exclusively shared the paperwork with Fox4, stating she has 30 days to get rid of her chickens or face more fines starting on Monday and said she is willing to keep the chickens.

According to Fox 4 report, the rift between Morris, the county, and the Residents Association of her mobile home village has rolled on for more than a year. Both parties are now going to federal court.

Moriss: The chickens are my emotional support

"They [the chickens] are [my emotional support] animals. They live in my home," Morris told WFTX-TV. She explained that her psychiatrists provided a letter to the community acknowledging that an emotional support animal is helpful to people with mental health issues.

Morris explained that the chickens, which she calls her "girls," provide her the emotional support that her medications cannot and that these animals are all that she has. 

"My girls have positively changed my life, and I am not removing them," Morris told NBC2, stressing that her parents, brother, and husband already died. 

She pointed out that Lee County has a 'no chicken' law, and which makes the authorities violating a civil code. Morris told Fox News that Marcy LaHart, her attorney, will file a federal lawsuit claiming that the county violated her civil rights.

Morris also claimed that the Residents Association violates the Fair Housing Act by discriminating against a disabled woman because of demanding to rid herself of support animals.

TRO to be issued vs. county authorities

LaHart told WFTX-TV that she immediately moved for a temporary restraining order asking a judge to order the Lee County authorities not to take legal actions until the federal cases has been resolved on its merits.

Morris said LaHart formatted the documents needed to be submitted to the Federal Housing Administration and federal courthouse for the county and the resident association to serve a federal violation of the for the handicapped, disabled act and fair housing.

Karen was glad that the court case was moved to the federal level, expressed her disappointment with the county's decisions in the fact that her emotional support chickens live in a private home.

"I [place my full faith in my attorney] that this is a fair housing act violation is likewise a disability act violation," she said. She added the federal judge will be telling them the county and the residents' association have to "make reasonable accommodation for this disability," said Morris.

Meanwhile, a representative for Lee County told WWBH-TV that the County Attorney's Office intends to defend the case vigorously.