Enid Enacts New Livestock Ordinance; Family Worries They'll Lose 'Therapy Horse'

By Jennifer Pierce, NEWS 9

ENID, Oklahoma -- Enid city leaders are cracking down on livestock owners, and residents are speaking out about new rules passed by the city council Tuesday night.

Under an Enid city ordinance, residents with livestock now have to live on half an acre or more or their home has to be in a zoned agriculture area. However, those new rules have some long time Enid residents worried what they're going to do with their animals.

"We've had everything out here, horses, chickens, ducks, pot belly pigs," said Loyd Kaufman

But now the only animal Kaufman calls a pet is his miniature horse, Jethro.

Kaufman bought the horse for his two mentally challenged daughters.

"This horse means a lot to these little girls," Kaufman said.

Jethro isn't a certified therapy pet, but he will soon have to be because it may be the only way the city will let Kaufman keep him at his house.

"If you have a therapy animal, be it a dog, cat, pig, or horse or a giraffe, and it's accredited by a suitable agency and meets state law you can keep that animal," said Enid City Manager Eric Benson.

If not, livestock owners now have to meet new requirements for keeping the animals in city limits, as well as getting a permit.

Benson said Enid has been lenient with its livestock ordinance, until now, and it was citizens' complaints that spurred the change.

"It comes from citizens. People thought their property values were being diminished or thought their quality of life was being affected by crowing chickens, offensive smells, flies, etc, etc, ect," Benson said.

Now residents like Kaufman have 30 days to comply with the new rules or risk losing their animals or paying a hefty fine.

"I'm not mad about the ordinance, I'm mad that they don't take into consideration something like this," Kaufman said. "I'm can't afford the fine, and I can't afford jail. I'm gonna be real upset if I have to move him because if I move him it will create quite an inconvenience for the girls."

Residents who do not get a permit face a $500 fine.