PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Animal activists on Monday called on Philadelphia City Council to ban horse-drawn carriages on city streets.
“What do we want? A carriage-free Philly! When do we want it? Now!” protesters chanted during a rally at City Hall. Advocates said the use of horse-drawn carriages is outdated, cruel, and poses a safety threat to both animals and humans.
“Our goal is to permanently ban horse-drawn carriages In Philadelphia and retire these horses to reputable sanctuaries where they can live out their lives out in peace,” said Ban Horse Carriages Philadelphia Co-Founder Stephanie Curson.
“This will help end the auction-to-carriage pipeline and hopefully save horses in the future from being forced into these dangerous working conditions.”
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“Watch the carriage horses of Philadelphia,” said Lancaster Farm Sanctuary Executive Director & Co-Founder Sarah Salluzzo. “They are often tossing their heads, chewing anxiously and uncomfortably on heavy-metal bits.”
“They are unable to express themselves naturally in any way,” she added. “They are literally tethered to a large, heavy object which they are forced to pull day and night.“
Many at the rally were holding signs of the carriage horse named Ryder, who collapsed and was whipped in August on the streets of Manhattan.
They don’t want to see what happened there occur in Philadelphia.
“If you leave here today thinking that your voice does not matter, the horses lose,” said American Wild Horse Campaign Grassroots Advocacy and Outreach Manager Michele Patterson, who is calling on the public to contact city lawmakers in support of ending horse tours in the city.
“Your voice matters. Speak up today for these beautiful gentle creatures. Speak up today for Ryder.”
Current city ordinances regarding carriage horses and working conditions include not working on the streets when the temperature is over 91 degrees, or when the wind chill factor is less than 26 degrees.
Carriage companies also must allow 15 minutes of rest for every hour, and horses cannot be in harnesses for more than nine hours in any continuous 24-hour period.
KYW Newsradio reached out to the city’s only carriage operator, 76 Carriage Company, for comment. They did not initially respond to our request.
Nina Baratti contributed to this report.