A horse living in the backyard of a Cape Coral home is catching the attention of neighbors and city officials who say the 6 foot tall pet should not be living in a residential area.
Spotting a horse in a neighborhood like the one along SE 6th Ave and 32nd Terrace is highly unlikely, because city ordinance prohibits equine from living in residential zones.
"It's a house down the street from you, said Claudia as she laughed.
The 6 ft beauty weighs 1,500 lbs and she's been getting a lot of double takes from passersby in the community.
The father of the owner of the horse told Four In Your Corner his daughter died Wednesday. He will now coordinate with city officials to relocate Bella to another stable.
Bella was removed from her old stable due to a bacterial outbreak.
"Surprised but then once I found out the reason why it was okay," said neighbor Claudia.
However, many question if this yard provides enough space for the horse to live comfortably.
"It is too small for a permanent place for the horse, but it's got to stay somewhere. It's kind of like a big dog that has to stay in a crate until it can find a place to go and roam," said Claudia.
Bella certainly needs a place to live, but the city says the Cape Coral neighborhood can't be her home.
In an email a city spokesperson told four in your corner, horses are not allowed to live in residential zones.
A vet took samples of Bella's blood Tuesday because of the issue at her previous stable.
"If there's a bacterial infection you don't want the horse to get sick," said Claudia.
Preventing sickness is the reason why Bella is living in the small backyard. Many are hoping she'll find a permanent home with a lot more space to roam.
"I would rather see the horse in smaller space and safe, than in a larger space and unsafe," said Claudia.
It usually takes about 48 hours to process the blood sample's taken from the horse.
City officials say once the results are in, and if Bella is cleared, she will be going to a stable in North Fort Myers.
