🚀 go-pugleaf

In keeping with the equine theme......

The Townsville City Council is suing a Magnetic Island (birthplace of
golp master, Greg Norman) woman for A$156 owing on a bill for the
disposal of the woman's dead horse.

But Horseshoe Bay (I told you it had an equine flavour!) resident,
Stephanie Metcalfe said she did not even ask the Council to dispose of
the horse.

"I never authorised anybody to get rid of the horse", Miss Metcalfe
said. "For all they know I might have wanted it stuffed."

Miss Metcalfe, 23, said her horse "Rocky" had died despite hours of
trying to keep him walking.

Miss Metcalfe said because she was upset and had not had any sleep for
about 36 hours, she had gone to a friends place to sleep immediately
after Rocky's death.

Miss Metcalfe said she did not know who called the Council to dispose of
the body.

In August she received a bill for A$493.54 for the horse's disposal.

"When I saw the bill I nearly fell over backwards." Miss Metcalfe said.

"I could habe had it done privately for A$80. I couldn't believe it
would cost the Council A$500."

Miss Metcalfe said she had tried to to get a breakdown of the price but
had been unable to get one. She then contacted ward Alderman Jim
Cathcart. Eventually the Council reduced the bill to A$246.77.

Miss Metcalfe said she could not understand why the bill was so high.
"If he had died on the footpath the Council would have disposed of him
for free," She said.

Miss Metcalfe said she paid the Council A$80 to the Council because that
was the amount private businesses would have charged.

The Council is now suing Miss Metcalfe for the A$156.77 outstanding.

Mr cathcart said high Council charges would only force people to dispose
of animals themselves and could pose a health risk.

"A large animal buried in the wrong spot can affect the water table and
be a danger to neighbours who use underground water," Mr Cathcart said.

"I think the Council would better serve the ratepayers if we set an
affordable nominal charge of between $80 and $100." Mr Cathcart said he
did not agree with the Council decision to sue Miss Metcalfe.

"It seems in this case they are floggin the owner of a dead horse," he
said.

A City Council spokesman (this a provincial newspaper, they haven't
got round to non-sexist language yet, JF) said that acting on a request,
Council removed a dead horse from a private paddock and buried it.

"Subsequent to the receipt of an account the owner quried the account
and the Council reduced this to 50% of the original charge," the
spokesman said. "The Council has received part payment of $80 and the
matter is subject to recovery acction for the outstanding balance." The
spokesman said he could not comment further because the matter was
before the courts.


 * SLMR 2.1a * Coral Sea Views, Wulguru, Townsville.


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