Two months ago, our family started a petition again to ask our city to allow miniature goats. My wife, three daughters, and I have wanted to keep miniature goats for years and asked Raytown for permission in 2022. Raytown made a draft ordinance in 2022 to allow miniature goats, but then postponed it indefinitely.  During that time, we came to see that many others in Raytown wanted miniature goats to be allowed and that other cities have done so successfully.  So, in early June of 2024 we started a petition again.

We started by mailing letters to about 55 residences in Raytown that potentially had the qualifying backyard space to keep miniature goats according to the 2022 draft. That draft required at least 1 acre of backyard space (43,560 sq ft) to qualify to keep miniature goats.  Of those 55 residences, 10 households signed the petition and indicated that they want the ability to keep miniature goats on their property. That means that almost 20% of those with qualifying space responded to a mailing from someone they didn’t know and requested the ability to keep miniature goats.  5 other households with at least 1 acre of backyard space also signed the petition apart from the mailing, for a total of 15 households in Raytown with at least an acre of backyard space who want the ability to keep miniature goats.

We also shared the petition with others in Raytown who have regular sized backyards since 1 acre of backyard space is exceedingly excessive compared to other cities’ regulations for keeping miniature goats in residential areas. Most other cities only require a 400 square foot pen (or less) set back from neighbors at least 35 feet (or less), space which is entirely possible on a ¼ acre lot. We talked to people in our neighborhood, put up posters in a few public places, and asked people who signed to share the petition with those who may be interested. 11 households with regular sized backyards signed the petition and requested the ability to keep miniature goats on their property.

As we experienced before, those we talk to about allowing miniature goats are generally favorable towards it. An additional 20 people who don’t personally want to keep miniature goats, but want to support those who do, have signed the petition.

At this point, a total of 46 Raytown residents have signed the petition for Raytown to allow miniature goats. Our goal and request is for Raytown to revise their ordinance to be more in line with other cities’ requirements for keeping miniature goats and to pass the ordinance.