State Rep. Roger Victory And Joe Haveman Back Autistic Boy's Fight For His Beloved Therapy Ducks In Ottawa County

Dylan, with Bill and Nibbles

By Brandon Hall
(Email Him At WestMIPolitics@Gmail.com)

President Ford famously said before Congress, "a government big enough to give you everything you want is large enough to take from you everything you have."

Without government, who would take away an autistic boy's beloved therapy ducks?

That's the controversy underway in Georgetown Township in Ottawa County, more commonly known as Jenison because of the school district.

Dylan Dyke and his best friends, ducks named Nibbles and Bill, are now an international story as they prepare for a hearing on August 22nd that will decide their fate .

According to the Free Thought Project:

"The dispute arises as Township officials claim they are simply enforcing an ordinance that prohibits homeowners in the area where Dykes lives from having farm animals on their property. However, the family and their doctor claims that the Nibbles and Bill are more than mere farm animals.

The order to get rid of the ducks comes in spite of the fact that 12-year-old Dylan Dyke’s doctor designated the birds as emotional support animals for him...

The Dykes have since submitted a request for an ordinance variance because of the nature of these ducks. 

In an interview with WOODTV, Dylan was excited to talk about his feathered friends. “I can tell them anything and they just won’t be bothered by it,” Dylan said as Nibbles and Bill sat in his lap quacking. “These ducks understand me so much. My siblings do as well, but these ducks just trust me more.”

“It just wouldn’t be the same,” he said, noting how it would be if he lost his ducks. “I know we’re going to win since I love these ducks so much and I know that a lot of people online love ducks as well.”

Dylan’s support page on Facebook has received overwhelming support and a GoFundMe campaign has already surpassed its goal for the family’s legal fees.

One potential solution to the problem would be to fence in the Dyke’s yard and not allow the ducks to roam onto their neighbors’ property. Another would be to employ a deep litter method in their pen which would drastically eliminate the odors which may be bothering their neighbors. Hopefully these ideas are considered so Dylan will not be traumatized by the removal of his support ducks."

State Senate candidates Roger Victory and Joe Haveman expressed support for Dylan and his ducks to West Michigan Politics on Friday. Victory represents Georgetown Township in Lansing.

Victory

Haveman

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Brandon Hall is a lifelong political nerd from Grand Haven, and is the Managing Editor of West Michigan Politics.

>>>Email him at WestMIPolitics@Gmail.com
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