City councilor will not be punished for abandoning pony at cafe

Leaving a pony on a terrace of a café in Den Bosch by CDA councilor Sjors Pardoel, will have no effect on his position as a council member, announced CDA party of Maasdriel in Gelderland in a statement on Saturday. However, the council member will take a "pause for reflection". "It is a matter of finding a balance between youthful recklessness and the responsibility of a representative of the people," the party said.

It was explained in a statement that Pardoel was not the initiator. Still, the party is "not at all happy" about the action. There was a "solid conversation" with the council member, who the party believes could have taken responsibility.

"Pardoel took care of the little horse in order to place it in a petting zoo with one of his friends," the statement said. "It never came to this, due to the unwise decision of the duo to first visit the hospitality industry in the city center with the horse."

The pony was left on a terrace on Monday and had also been in a pub that day. The little horse was being petted and fed while loud party music was playing. The owner of the pub told Omroep Brabant that she immediately sent the pony outside when she noticed the animal. The pony was picked up by the animal ambulance that evening after it was left behind.

According to the faction, Pardoel was very shocked. "He regrets that he has inadvertently put local politics, the municipal council of Maasdriel and especially his CDA group in the wrong light," the party said. He believes that "there is something to do" and that he must take responsibility. Hence the "reflection period" during which Pardoel will receive coaching and support.