August 19, 2008

Harley Scott with Peter Rabbit, who is threatened with eviction after 32 years of living in Hickman, Neb. (Photo Courtesy of Omaha World Herald)

HICKMAN, Neb. -– A 76-year-old man has received an eviction notice for his family’s 32-year-old horse, named Peter Rabbit, despite an emotional outpouring of support from residents of this city of slightly more than 1,000 residents.

Since birth, the horse, owned by Harley Scott, has lived on land owned by his son, former Hickman City Councilman Jack Scott.

Hickman Mayor Jim Hrouda says Jack Scott voted for the city’s livestock ban when he was on the council in 1988.

Jack Scott says the livestock ban was buried in a larger rewriting of city codes, but that regardless, Peter Rabbit should be left alone to live out his life where he is. He has already exceeded a horse’s average lifespan, which is 25 to 30 years.

This farm town has become a fast-growing bedroom community for the capital city of Lincoln. Since houses began developing around Peter Rabbit’s pasture, Hrouda and five of the six city Council members say they want to livestock ban enforced.

At a City Council meeting last week, about 30 people voiced support for Peter Rabbit, to no avail.

“We’re just sticking by our ordinance,” Hickman said, as he signed a letter ordering the horse out of his pasture by Sept. 15.

Letters and emails supporting the horse have poured into city offices. Jack Scott says his family has no intention of honoring the eviction notice. Harley Scott could face fines up to $100 a day if found in violation of the ordinance.

“I’m hoping that they’ll re-think this a little bit and come up with a solution,” Jack Scott told Pet Pulse. “They tried twice before, but they couldn’t agree on anything.”

Jack Scott has lived in Hickman his entire life, and says the issue surrounding Peter Rabbit is the most controversy there that he can recall.

“I can’t even think of anything that’s come close to having this much stir,” he said. “We voted on (whether to allow a local bar to have the game) Keeno once and it got turned down on a close vote.”

Kim Hoesing, who appeared to be the only council member in support of the horse staying, expressed concern that the issue will attract bad publicity for the city.

Likewise, Hickman City Administrator Brett Baker handed out a sheet labeled “The Rest of the Story” to counteract what he labeled the bad publicity the town has gotten.

On the Hickman website, Hickman.ne.gov, includes the contents of Baker’s handout. It lists a chronology of developments in the matter since it began.

Baker did not respond to Pet Pulse’s request for an interview.

Harley Scott says he has raised Peter Rabbit since the brown Morgan-quarter horse crossbreed was born in his pasture in the spring of 1976. There have been horses on the land since his father bought it in 1935.

“He could drop dead today,” he said. “I would prefer to have him remain as stable as he is and be able to enjoy his life. I like to go out and pet him. It’s just a matter of feeding and petting him.

“I would be totally lost at the point where he disappears from the scene.”

Pet Pulse reporter Joey Wahler, The Associated Press and Omaha World Herald contributed to this story.

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