Have you ever heard of a restraining order against a donkey? Yup, you read that right. When one so-called homeowners’ association randomly decides to take on a woman’s donkey, you realize that life is definitely stranger than fiction.
Just imagine living in a place where the so-called "improvement district" has less to do with actual improvements and more with terrorizing the neighbors, all while dumping sewage into the local lake. And just when you think it couldn't get any weirder, this so-called HOA tries to slap a restraining order on… wait for it, a donkey. You can't make this stuff up.
More info: Reddit
Wannabe HOA bullies entire neighborhood, tries to get a restraining order against woman’s donkey because it “brays too loudly”
Image credits: FriendlyDonkeh
The so-called HOA is actually a utility improvement district that seems to have forgotten about their actual responsibilities, going after people's land and donkeys instead
Image credits: Andrea Piacquadio (not the actual photo)
The woman enjoys walking her emotional support donkey topless, on her own property, which makes the fake HOA go crazy, trying to make it illegal
Image credits: Sora Shimazaki (not the actual photo)
Despite the wannabe HOA’s claims, the woman’s donkey rarely brays, and mostly because she’s just happy to see her human
Image credits: Riley County Planning & Development
Image credits: u/FriendlyDonkeh
The fake HOA is bothered by the fact that the woman walks her donkey topless, so they file a lawsuit against her, trying to take her donkey away
Let’s start at the beginning. This isn’t your run-of-the-mill HOA story where they complain about lawn lengths and mailbox colors. No, this particular group of busybodies decided that maintaining roads and a sewage system was just too much work. Instead, they’ve put all their energy into managing a golf course and making life miserable for everyone around them.
They’ve even earned themselves a gold star in the neighborhood bully department by harassing a terminally ill neighbor over a deck that was apparently 18 inches too big. Classy, right? They also planned on making it illegal for women to walk around topless, as they were disturbed by the fact that the OP was walking her donkey topless on her own property.
Now, donkeys aren’t exactly known for being loudmouths, but when this one decided to let out a little bray, the local “HOA” was losing their minds. You’d think the donkey was throwing wild parties every night from the way they reacted. So, their latest brilliant idea? A lawsuit to remove the donkey under the claim that her braying was just too much for their delicate ears.
They even went so far as to ask a judge for a restraining order against the poor donkey. The judge’s response? "How often do donkeys bray?" The HOA’s lawyer, clearly a donkey expert, stammered out, “Periodically,” which is legalese for "I have no idea."
Luckily, the judge dismissed this ridiculous claim as the OP relies on her donkey heavily. You see, the OP has been struggling with mental health for most of her life and her donkey, which is an emotional support animal, has helped her get through each day.
Emotional support animals (ESAs) provide their humans plenty of benefits, especially to those who are dealing with mental health challenges. Unlike service animals, which are trained to perform specific tasks, ESAs offer comfort and companionship that can alleviate symptoms of anxiety, depression, and stress.
For someone like the OP, her donkey isn’t just a pet, but more of a lifeline that helps her stay on track and deal with daily life. The presence of an ESA can make a big difference in someone’s life, as it can provide a sense of security and emotional stability that traditional treatments alone might not offer.
Image credits: Pixabay (not the actual photo)
If you’re thinking, “This story can’t be real,” the OP has receipts, including a video of the HOA crying over property values at a replat hearing (the process of redrawing or altering the boundaries of an existing subdivision or parcel of land). There's even an EPA paper detailing their sewage-dumping shenanigans.
To find out more about this story, Bored Panda reached out to the OP for some comments. She told us that the improvement district is not a homeowner’s association, but they just act as if they have the power of an HOA by enforcing covenants.
“Usually they do so with threats, I am the first to stand up to it. Their main job is supposed to be maintaining the sewage systems. They have allowed too many homes to be built on for the current system, thus needing another 2 million to build a lagoon. Some of those homes, of course, are rentals by board members,” the OP explained.
We asked the OP how this association gets their funding. She said that “They get most of their revenue from our property taxes. I myself have been charged 80k for their sewage taxes so far, even though I bought my house for only 108k. They're getting ready to charge all properties another two million due to the dumping in the lake.”
We wanted to know why this so-called HOA asked for a restraining order against her donkey. The OP told us that “They think my donkey barely braying is a nuisance. I think they're just bitter that they can't bully me, and on the very rare chance they hear my donkey bray, they somehow take it personally. My donkey only brays when she's happy to see me, such as when I say good morning to her.”
The OP, who has been struggling with mental health for a long time, heavily relies on her donkey. She told us that “If my donkey is not safe, I am not safe, or so my PTSD strongly insists. I don't know why everyone wants to mock me for having an ESA (emotional support animal) and not a ‘service’ animal. I need her here with me, not in Walmart.”
We asked the OP why this improvement district is so disturbed by the way she dresses on her own property. She said that “The improvement district hates that I walk my donkey topless. They're bothered because they're sexist. I am the reason it is legal here, county and city-wide, for women to be topless. They currently shout insults at me for being religious yet being topless as a female, as if those two things aren't compatible.”
As a sign of protest to this fake HOA, the OP strategically placed a welcoming sign on her property, which is conveniently located at the entrance of the neighborhood, informing people about this circus of an HOA, with a giant dad joke about the sewage they’re dumping into the lake. It’s a fitting tribute to the pile of... well, you get the picture.
What’s your take on this story? Share your thoughts and comments below.
Netizens side with the woman, saying that the actions of this so-called HOA seem illegal and she should be allowed to have an emotional support animal
