Ordinance should be enforced to fix issue
Published 8:47 pm Thursday, March 24, 2016
A city ordinance that requires horses to wear diapers while walking down a city street has become a topic of conversation again.
The ordinance was adopted in December 2013, but apparently hasn’t been strictly enforced over the last two and a half years. Councilman Michael Johnson, who oversees Ward 8 in Selma, is again asking people to follow the ordinance.
We’re guessing many opened up Thursday’s newspaper, saw the story and thought something along the lines of “only in Selma.” Horse diapering isn’t the typical news story and it isn’t a hot button issue most places, but we certainly understand the councilman’s plea on this topic.
Johnson has made it clear that he has no problem with people riding horses in his ward or anywhere around town, but many have complained about the smell, mosquitoes and other sanitary problems that arise from the animal’s droppings.
It’s not much to ask riders to place a diapering apparatus on their horses to help alleviate those problems. The horse diapers can even be bought in town.
Johnson is grabbing the reigns and trying to put this problem to bed. We’re just hoping citizens also grab hold and follow his lead.