Newton health officials have ordered a miniature horse named Clover to be removed from the yard of its owner’s Auburndale home by October 19, following the denial of an appeal. The decision came on Monday after city authorities determined that the property does not comply with local health regulations governing the keeping of large animals.

Clover, a 28.5-inch-tall, 165-pound miniature horse, is owned by Judy Hinchey, who has expressed her intention to pursue legal action to challenge the city’s directive. Hinchey criticized the ruling, saying she felt compelled to continue her fight after the health commissioner acknowledged they had trusted her to follow existing rules. “That makes me want to fight it even more,” Hinchey said in an interview on Tuesday.

The core issue centers on Newton’s health code requirements for stables housing large animals. Specifically, the code mandates that manure be stored at least 100 feet away from property lot lines to mitigate potential public health concerns. Following complaints from neighbors about manure odor, officials found that Hinchey’s property failed to meet these standards despite her efforts to control the smell.

Hinchey argued that Clover should not be classified as a large animal subject to the same regulations as full-sized horses. She cited policies in other municipalities across Massachusetts that differentiate between miniature and standard horses; Newton’s code, however, makes no such distinction. Public Health Director Lisa Heyer rejected this argument in her ruling, emphasizing the clear wording of the regulations. “A miniature horse is a breed of horse and thus, based solely on the plain language of the regulations, constitutes a Large Animal,” Heyer stated. She added that no size-based exception is included in the local health code.

Hinchey had anticipated that Newton authorities might amend the language of the regulations to better reflect the unique status of miniature horses but said no revisions were forthcoming. The dispute highlights a gap between local ordinance language and animal classification standards applied in other Massachusetts communities.

As Hinchey prepares to take legal measures to retain Clover on her property, city officials maintain that adherence to existing health regulations is necessary to address neighborhood concerns and public health requirements. The case underscores ongoing challenges faced by homeowners who keep non-traditional pets in residential areas subject to zoning and health codes designed primarily with larger livestock in mind.