Brighton family's petition to keep beloved cockerel

Eight-year-old Ostara Allen looks after her three-year-old cockerel Trousers at her home in Craven Road, Brighton.

Her parents Matt and Adele Allen moved their family, including her two other siblings, from Evelyn Terrace nearby in September last year.

“That is when the complaints began,” 40-year-old Matt told The Argus.

The family has set up a petition after unconfirmed claims that the council has revoked their pet permission which allows them to keep a cockerel at their council home.

“We have done everything we can to mitigate the disturbance,” said Mr Allen.

Mrs Allen, 39, has set up a petition to keep Trousers with his family.

Writing on the petition, Mrs Allen said: “Trousers has been living with his family and flock in a residential area of Brighton for three years now with no issues until we moved house last September.

“Every night he is taken to sleep inside the kitchen in a pet carrier by his eight-year-old best friend, Ostara.”

Ostara takes the cockerel out at 8am each day, which “avoids anti-social hours”, said Mr Allen.

The family says they were given permission from the council to keep Trousers after initial complaints by their neighbour, who felt “triggered” by his noise.

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Their neighbour William Ranieri, told The Argus last week that he was being “tortured” by the “incessant crowing” of the cockerel.

He said Trousers disturbs him “day in, day out” and the noise creates irrational responses including “shaking, anger and stomach cramps”.

Mr and Mrs Allen claim the council is now revoking the permission to keep the bird due to his recent social media campaign, which they say has “gained very little public support”. This has, however, not yet been confirmed by the council.

“We have had no complaints by anyone else on the estate and feel this revoking is unjust and unacceptable,” said Mrs Allen.

'We won’t let him go' said Ostara's dad Matt Allen (Image: Matt Allen)

Mr Allen said: “We live in Brighton which is a loud city. From 8am you hear power tools being used, traffic and other noises.

“The city is seagull central and we even have a football team nicknamed after the loud birds.”

Mr Ranieri previously said his neighbours’ pet is banned based on the council’s housing tenancy management policy.

He has also launched a petition with the aim of banning cockerels, or implementing compulsory measures for the pets in residential areas in Brighton and Hove.

The council was unable to comment on specific cases, but told The Argus last week that there is no blanket ban on council tenants owning cockerels.

“We consider each permission request for a pet based on the individual circumstances,” said a council spokesman.

“In some cases we agree conditions with tenants that are intended to limit noise nuisance from pets.”

Mr Allen said: “We won’t let him go. He is Ostara’s beloved pet and we have bonded with him. She takes him out and puts in come rain, shine or even snow.

“Our children’s mental health will suffer should they lose their beloved pet.”

Brighton and Hove City Council was contacted for comment.