Michigan woman keeps her chickens in settlement with City

Douglas, Michigan; March 18, 2026: A Michigan woman can keep her chickens after a legal victory against her local government, which she sued for giving her neighbors veto power over her right to use her property. Following the lawsuit, the City of Douglas, Michigan, agreed to re-issue a chicken-keeping permit to Kathy Sarkisian, and the City Council amended local law to remove language that previously empowered neighbors to veto residents’ permits.

“The government cannot give private individuals, like your neighbors, the unreviewable authority to strip your rights from you as they please,” said Wesley Hottot, an attorney with Pacific Legal Foundation. “We are happy to have secured this victory for our client and with the City’s agreement to remove this unconstitutional ‘veto’ power from its ordinance.”

In May 2025, Kathy Sarkisian filed a federal lawsuit after the City revoked her already approved permit to keep six chickens in her backyard. The City told her that her permit should not have been approved yet because a local ordinance gave her neighbors the authority to reject her application to keep chickens—and explicitly denied any opportunity to appeal. The City ordered her to remove her chickens and began fining her $300 a day after one of her neighbors—who lives in Douglas just three months of the year—said they did not want Kathy to keep chickens in her own backyard.

As part of a settlement approved by the City Council, the City will re-issue Kathy’s permit, allowing her to keep her chickens, and dismiss the fines. The City also agreed to revise its ordinance on chicken-keeping permits, removing the language that gave Kathy’s neighbors control over her property. The City also added a provision allowing residents to appeal a denied permit to the City Council.

Pacific Legal Foundation represents Sarkisian free of charge. The case is Kathy Sarkisian v. City of the Village of Douglas, Michigan.