Long-range implications for Indianola animal ordinance

Dear Editor,

The City Clerk confirmed the Indianola City Council is considering an ALL-ANIMAL BAN, including chickens, except for dogs and cats. Two new ordinances, one focusing on horses, will be available at their next meeting: Monday, December 19, 2022, at 5:30. The Council may even vote on these ordinances.

Last spring, we had an opportunity to buy my grandparents’ small farm in northeast Indianola. They lived in the farmhouse built in 1900 and milked cows, raised pigs, grew chickens and used horses to help with the work. The property has always been located inside city limits. For 122 years, horses have been on the land.

We started fixing up the place, renovating the farmhouse, restoring the barn, and solving the weed problem by putting horses on the pasture. They’ve made everything look nicer.

We had asked the Council for chickens, honey bees, and horses. Our requests were initially turned down.

We never thought we needed permission for horses. We persisted. The Mayor finally said he wasn’t against horses. An unofficial vote was taken. Three other members present were okay with horses, too, but wanted to know who owned the horses.

Next meeting, the member who had been absent last time was present. He was adamant there would be no “wild animals” in Indianola. We were turned down again.

We attended the next meeting to explain that horses are not wild. They are domesticated animals. Indianola never has had an ordinance against horses. Furthermore, we’re “grandfathered in.” We have the right to use the land the way it has always been used. We apologized for the waste of their time, and concluded that no vote was needed for horses.

Off the record, one councilman said we had “ruffled some feathers.” Some members who once voted for horses were now against us. We attended another meeting to introduce the owner of the horses, which had been moved onto the pasture.

And that’s where we’re at today. The Council had promised at one point to look into an ordinance allowing us to keep horses. We hope they keep their promise. But they have been non-communicative. The residents should know what instigated these ordinances and hope this issue is discussed before a vote is taken. Perhaps it should be on the next ballot. This is an important issue with long-range implications. The will of the people should be heard, whatever side of the issue they may support. We encourage everyone to attend the next meeting. We hope the Council does the right thing by listening to the will of the people.

Bob Ihrig,

McCook, Neb.