PEI

As house pets, do ducks fit the bill?

Kensington Mayor Rowan Caseley sees no reason to prevent a resident from having a pet duck.

Kensington woman inquires to council about having a pet duck

The Town of Kensington, P.E.I., has no bylaw that deals with having ducks as pets in a residential area. (Derek Grant)

Kensington, P.E.I., Mayor Rowan Caseley sees no reason to prevent a resident from having a pet duck.

A woman had asked a councillor if a having the pet bird would ruffle any feathers. And as loony as it might have sounded, council did not duck the issue Monday night.

"I didn't think I heard it right at first," Caseley said. "But then I thought of it, well … people have pet snakes, pet dogs, pet cats, everything."

No bylaw

Unlike some other municipalities on P.E.I., the Town of Kensington has no bylaw that deals with backyard chickens — or ducks.

Well, as long as the ducks aren't … unlimited.

I didn't think I heard it right at first.- Kensington Mayor Rowan Caseley

"One duck, that's like one dog," Caseley said, noting the bylaw that states any resident with more than two dogs must have a special kennel licence.

Even though Caseley was brought up on a farm, he never thought of having a duck as pet.

'They're friendly'

But it turns out, the idea of a pet duck just might fly.

"They are kind of a nice animal to have around, I guess," Caseley said. "They're friendly — most of the time anyway."