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On April 19th, Victoria city council voted seven in favour, two opposed to renew the lease agreements between the horse drawn carriage operators and the City of Victoria. The carriage-horse businesses’ leases with the City had expired on Dec 31st, 2017. They have now been renewed for five years, until 2022.
Coun. Ben Isitt, who opposed the lease renewal commented that “commercial horse-drawn carriages operations are not an appropriate use of downtown streets,” and that “I think there is a safety risk for the animals, passengers, for the operators of those vehicles, and other users of the roads and rights of way.”
Coun. Thornton-Joe, who supported the lease renewal and who put the motion forward said that “there maybe be a time where temperatures increase or traffic increases that we may have to phase it out, but for now I will take direction from the BC SPCA.”
The BC SPCA, does not have a position statement specifically on the topic of horse-drawn carriages, but does state the following in their position on Animal in Recreation, Sport, and Entertainment:
- When animals such as horses are used for site-seeing tours, they face – among other challenges – extreme weather conditions, of which heat stress is only one example. Carriage rides are typically purchased by tourists, and tourists tend to travel during the summer months when temperatures are high. Horses pulling heavy loads on hot pavement are at risk of overheating, which may be exacerbated by high humidity, as well as infrequent watering, poor access to electrolytes, obesity, poor conditioning or illness.
On August 19th, 2016 during a high temperature warning of 33.1°C in Victoria issued by Environment Canada a horse became distressed and broke free of the carriage they were pulling in James Bay. Local residents reported being “traumatized” by the event.
Jordan Reichert of the Victoria Horse Alliance says the city has failed to take seriously the numerous concerns documented and raised by animal advocates, and that it is time for the horse-carriage industry to be banned.
“No city in its right mind would allow horse carriages to operate on city streets today. The only reason the carriage operators are still allowed is because they have been exploiting horses for over 100 years. This might have been socially acceptable in 1918, but I should hope in 2018 we have come farther than to endorse public displays of animal exploitation for profit at a municipal level.”
Victoria Horse Alliance have filed over a dozen cruelty complaints and bylaw infractions with the BC SPCA and City of Victoria over the past three years. They say that the new Animal Responsibility Bylaw does nothing to address the lack of regulation of the horse carriage industry which compromises the safety of vulnerable animals and people on a daily basis.
“Right now, carriage operators can work horses as long as they want, in any weather, with no standards of care. They are even regularly seen talking and texting on their cell phones during tours. Seeing a vet once a year is not public oversight of this inhumane and irresponsible animal use industry, it is a free pass for the industry to continue to put horses in distressing environments for profit.”
Victoria Animal News
Remember animals, specifically these carriage horses, at election time. Keep lobbying these councillors for change. You voted them in. You have the power to vote them out. People care about animals.
Shame on the BC SPCA for not speaking for ‘ALL’ animals! Where is your voice in all of this?
It’s time to let go of outdated traditions. Over the years traffic and pollution has increased Is subjecting innocent animals to dangerous fumes and traffic fair? I think not, these animals need protection from the people who exploit them for personal profit, let them retire in peace.