The city of Key West may soon start clearing its scenic streets of free-ranging chickens. Evidence linking transmission of avian flu to humans via contact with chickens is the reason. City Commissioner Bill Verge says its time for the sometimes ‘foul’ fowls to go.

“I mean one case of avian flu in key west would pretty well do in our tourist population – which is our whole economy - we don’t allow our dogs to run free down duval street and defecate in people’s yards and its animal control.”

More than two million people visit Key West every year. Verge says homeowners who want to keep chickens can – in a coop. The rest he says can rounded up and shipped out of town. Similar efforts at chicken control are underway in Miami and St. Augustine. So far, there have been no reported cases of Avian flu in the United States.