First of all, I'd like to thank all of you who have responded to my Peter Rabbit post of yesterday. (If you haven't read it, I encourage you to do so.)
I get the feeling that the town of Hickman, NE has been deluged with negative emails to the town website, since the email server on this website has been off-line since yesterday afternoon.  (The server either crashed, or somebody in the ol' town hall pulled the plug!)
So, I guess our protest emails, coupled with many others from around the country, are having some effect.
Also, somebody at the Hickman Town Offices saw fit to write up an explanation for the town's outrageous actions against Harley Scott and his 32-year-old Morgan Horse, Peter Rabbit.
This defense explanation is posted right on the cover page of the town's web site. I've read it and have come away unimpressed by it.  To me, it still seems like a bunch of self-righteous, arrogant yuppies are doing their best to make life miserable for an old man and his old pet horse. In the explanation, the town makes it very clear that they will NOT even consider "grandfathering" the horse in, even though the creature is probably going to die soon (He's 32 years old.) and he has been living in that same pasture all of his life, including twelve years before the ordinance was put into the books.
In spite of all the negative reactions to their actions, generated by blogs like this one and an Associated Press news story, the mayor and the town officials seem to be standing firm on their decision to evict the horse.
Harley Scott has until September 15th to remove old Peter Rabbit from the city limits, or he will face fines of $100 per day.
As I said, the email at the town website is currently disabled, but I will be monitoring it, and I will let you know when it comes back on line.  Also, the phone number for the Hickman, NE town hall, which appeared on the website yesterday, has been removed.
However, I just happen to have the phone number, the mailing address and the website of the Hickman, NE town hall:
Address: 5701 Hickman Road, Hickman, NE  68372
Phone: (402-792-2811
Website: www.hickman.ne.gov/
Mayor; Jim Hrouda
I know we are having an effect on these folks.
If you would be so kind as to post this info on your blogs, I would greatly appreciate it.  It would be fine with me if you also copied these two posts about Peter Rabbit and put them on your blogs, or refer your readers to the Peter Rabbit posts on my blog here.
Keep those cards and letters coming in!
And again, thank you all for your support of Peter Rabbit!