Guelph woman wins right to keep her therapy pony, Odin

Amy Lalonde has been fightingto keep her therapy pony, Odin, in the backyard of her Guelph home since he arrived in April 2017.

After many months of back and forth discussion between Guelph bylaw and the Guelph Humane Society, it was recently decided that Lalonde can keep Odin as her service animal.

• Guelph woman worried city will make her get rid of therapy pony
• Therapy pony released near train, owner receives warning letter

In an email toCBCNews, DavidWiedrick, manager of bylaw compliance for the City of Guelph, said hecontactedLalondesayingthat her service animal was permitted.

"I cried," Lalondetold CBC News.

"Knowing that I can keep him and that I'm not going to have to keep proving myself ... makes it easier."

Odinhelps Lalonde deal with her post traumatic stress disorder as a result of being abused as a child. She said since Odin has been with her, she has gone from having three panic attacks a day to one a week.

And she is not the only person Odin helps. A group of six womenfrequently stops by to see Odin, according to Lalonde.

"I give them their space when they come," she said.

"They come and they hang out with him and pet him. They keep coming back so I'm guessing he's helping them."

Controversy in the neighbourhood

Odin hasbrought a lot of controversy tothe neighbourhoodsince he arrived on Lalonde's property last year.

She was able to keep Odin through an exemption after she provided the city with documents from her doctor saying she needed Odin.

But complaints from neighboursand severalvisits from the humane society had her worried she would haveto move Odin to the country or give him up.

In December, Lalondereceived a letter from the humane society and the City of Guelphafter the ponywas found outside his enclosure. Hehad wandered to the train tracks near her home after someone opened his gate.

The letter warned Lalonde she would beissued aprovincial offences notice if she didn't comply with the bylaw.

But many people in the community signed an online petition in efforts to help Lalondekeep Odin. According to the petition, Lalondehad until May to find the ponya new home.

Even though Lalondecan now legally keep Odin, the city will continue to investigate any complaints. But Lalonde saidshe can deal with that.

"They're still going to investigate if peoplecomplain, but I can handle that. That's no big deal," she said.