A chicken apparently came close to being fined US$54 for jaywalking in California. Says the BBC:
“Linc and Helena Moore had been fined on 26 March after their chicken wandered onto a road in the small rural mining town of Johannesburg in Kern county.”
Lucky for the Moore’s the case was thrown out:
“The fine was dismissed after a lawyer for the bird’s owners argued that the fowl was domesticated and could not be classified as livestock.”
Under California livestock laws (#16902) – A person that owns or controls the possession of any livestock shall not willfully or negligently permit any of the livestock to stray upon, [or end up on] a public highway.
- which of course makes sense. Afterall, farmers should be responsible for looking after their livestock; and chicken are no exception. So the next time you see a chicken crossing the road, don’t bother asking it why – just call the cops.