Horse kept in living room faces eviction 10/10/13
A horse being stabled in the living room of an ex-council house on Lewis faces eviction.
Legal moves which could see the adult Connemara pony being turfed out removed out
of the residential property at Broadbay View, Back, Lewis, has been launched by Comhairle
nan Eilean Siar.
Stephanie Ann Noble took the animal indoors two years ago after a dispute with a
crofter left it without grazings or winter shelter.
The 67-year-old converted her semi-detached home into stables. Furniture has been
removed while wooden pallets form a stall in her front room which is strewn with
bedding hay over heavy duty rubber mats across floor.
Bags of feeding stuff are stacked in the kitchen, tack and equestrian equipment is
stored upstairs and horse blankets are kept in the bathroom.
She stays in a bedroom upstairs while the rest of her home the house is given over
to the horse.
The former riding school operator, originally from Londonderry, bought the animal
in Ireland for nearly £1,900 in 2011 but faced a raft of problems in securing grazings
nearby.
Now the Comhairle is concerned for the horse’s welfare risks and says the house is
presently not a suitable place to keep it.
Council animal health officer Kenny Macleod issued a formal care notice under the
Animal Health and Welfare Act “to protect the long-term welfare of the animal.”
Mr Macleod says what was mean to be a temporary arrangement cannot continue.
If the horse is not removed by the end of this month the council could seize it under
further steps in the legal process. Any ultimate eviction may depend on the outcome
of a vet’s report and Ms Noble has the right to appeal.
Animal charity SSPCA offered to take the pony away and rehome it but Ms Noble says
she can look after it better.
