The legal battle between Hickman, Nebraska (yes, that really is the town name!) and Peter Rabbit, the horse, is quite possibly the biggest story hitting the area since the tornadoes of 2004.  At odds are the Scott’s and the Hickman ordinance that doesn’t allow horses within city limits.  Had the Scott’s not themselves requested the annexation to Hickman they likely would have been grandfathered in; therefore being within the law to keep their 32-year old horse in his forever-home of 30+ years. 

When most of the rest of the world was rooting FOR Peter Rabbit, why didn’t the residents of Hickman go to bat for him?  Rumor has it that past history with the Scotts had left bad feelings with many of the residents causing them to be either against leaving Peter Rabbit in town or at least apathetic towards the entire situation.

The fines of up to $100 per day for the ordinance violation surely added up quickly but they didn’t encourage the Scotts to remove the horse so the city hired an attorney to prepare for a forced eviction.  Was it finally the fast-accumulating fines that got the best of the Scotts?  No one in Hickman really seems to know, but recently, in a closed-agreement with the city of Hickman, the Scott’s agreed to move Peter Rabbit out of town.  And Hickman agreed to waive all fines.  Peter Rabbit no longer lives in Hickman and is now on an acreage south of town to live out the rest of his life.

Though the Scott’s have given in to the ordinance, they are missing their friend and have placed a sign against their barn to let the locals know that they haven’t forgotten Peter Rabbit.  The final feather in the city’s cap is the call made to the Scott’s for their next ordinanace violation — a sign violation because city approval hadn’t been obtained.  What exactly does the sign say? … 

    Hmm.  ♥