PETALUMA — A Rhode Island Red named Governor has refused to vacate a suburban backyard after neighbors served a formal complaint about pre-dawn performances.

Owner Teresa Wu says the rooster is family. The neighborhood association says the rooster is “a zoning incident with feathers.” An eviction notice taped to the coop was pecked apart within hours.

Legal representation comes courtesy of Wu’s nephew, Dylan, a first-year law student who filed a motion citing agricultural heritage, emotional support, and “precedent set by chickens everywhere.”

City code allows limited poultry with permits. Governor’s permit application includes a paw print that may or may not be his. A hearing is set for next month; residents are advised to bring earplugs and popcorn.