All Senoia's Sandy Hurlbutt wanted to do was provide an educational opportunity for students in Coweta and Fayette counties.

Hurlbutt operated a small petting zoo at her house on Stallings Road in the small eastern Coweta community. Until recently, hundreds of students tramped through her property and marvelled at llamas, emus and long-eared rabbits.

But late last month, Hurlbutt received notice from Coweta County that her zoo would have to be shut down until the county could decide if a zoning category applied to her.

Hurlbutt was getting ready to erect a six-foot privacy fence around the property and build a lake to showcase some water fowl. When she went to the county to make sure she would be in compliance with zoning regulations, she got the word the zoo had to be shut down.

The petting zoo was only open on weekends and traffic was never a problem for nearby residents, Hurlbutt added.

Hurlbutt's property is zoned Rural Reserve and she learned the county really does not have a classification covering petting zoos. The Hurlbutts have lived in Senoia since 1985 and the petting zoo has grown steadily. The zoo keepers charged $3 a person to get in, but Hurlbutt said that was only to defray some of the costs.

"Believe me, that didn't even cover the costs of the upkeep of the animals," she said.

For his part, county planner Robert Tolleson said the regulations are clear.

"They're not zoned and licensed to have a petting zoo there," he said.

He said the county is only doing its job and he has talked to Hurlbutt about the situation. He advised her to shut the zoo down until the county could research the matter further and said the zoo owners face a stiff fine if they don't comply with the county's regulations.

"They could receive a citation and face 60 days in jail and/or $1,000 a day fine for each day they're in violation," he said.

Hurlbutt did shut the zoo down and has no idea when it could open again.

"I've received an indication that it could take several months," she said.

Until the county decides, Hurlbutt plans to poll the community and seek support for the zoo.