In Thousand Oaks : Appeal Will Pursue Fight on Tiny Horse

The City of Thousand Oaks will continue its effort to force the removal of a miniature horse kept as a pet in a suburban home.

The City Council voted Wednesday night to appeal the decision of a municipal judge who last week dismissed charges that Patti Fairchild, 33, violated city zoning laws by keeping her horse, Ragtime, in her home.

City officials also have decided to amend the ordinance “to answer the concerns expressed by the judge in his ruling,” said Deputy City Atty. Shawn M. Mason.

The court held that, although the city’s zoning ordinance prohibits the keeping of two horses on a lot smaller than 20,000 square feet, it makes no similar restriction on a single horse.

“It’s clear to us that horses are not compatible with medium-density development, and we can’t turn away from violations of zoning ordinances and just ignore the problem until it becomes a real mess,” Mason said.

The City Council voted in May to charge Fairchild with violating city zoning ordinances after she refused to remove the pet. The violation carries a $100 fine.

Fairchild’s attorney, Gloria Allred, said the city’s decision to continue the matter “is a total waste of taxpayers’ money.”

“It’s the equivalent of breaking up a family,” Allred said. “Ragtime is like a child to Patti.”

Fairchild, her voice breaking during a telephone interview, declined to comment on the decision. She did say, however, that her court battle to keep the 28-inch-high stallion has cost up to $50,000.

Neighbors have complained that Ragtime, which is about the size of a large dog, attracts flies and threatens their property values.