Community
Print
Horse-drawn carriages will
be banned in Montreal from 2020 as a result of animal welfare concerns.
The ban on the popular
tourist attraction was officially announced on Thursday following years of campaigning
on the part of animal advocates.
The two-year delay is
intended to give those who profit from the carriages – and animal exploitation – an opportunity to determine
an alternative plan.
‘Inhumane’
City Councillor Craig Sauvé
said: “We see there have been a lot of cases of horses being mistreated, horses
dying while doing their calèche activities.”
Sauvé
also explained that despite increased regulation, horses continue to be hurt in
what the Montreal SPCA describes as a ‘antiquated and inhumane industry’.
The organization’s Director
of Animal Advocacy Alanna Devine added: “The end of this industry represents an
important victory for our organization, and demonstrates just how much our
relationship with animals is evolving.”
Further evidence of said ‘evolution’ includes the ban of horse-drawn carriages in Barcelona late last year, and the animal cruelty investigation launched last month after the death of 13 Ontario horses.
