Victoria council hears debate over horse-drawn carriages
Debate over horse-drawn carriage rides in downtown Victoria is heating up.
The owner of Victoria Carriage Tours appeared at a city council meeting on Thursday to defend the industry after an animalrights group started an online petition looking to ban the rides.
Katarina Gallagher said she was blindsided by the petition, which alleges there has been poor maintenance of equipment, reckless driving of the carriages and improper care of the horses.
Gallagher said the “unfounded” and “vague” accusations about inadequate care and reckless driving are baseless and constitute fear mongering.
More than 900 people have signed the petition, and several speakers aligned with animalrights group Victoria Horse Alliance addressed council Thursday, saying they support the ban.
The group’s petition cites carriage collisions involving vehicles, improper maintenance of equipment, reckless operation and inadequate care of horses as reasons for banning them in the city by the end of 2017.
There are two carriage companies in the city, Tally Ho Carriage Tours and Victoria Carriage Tours, that have a total of 52 horses and employ about 70 people.
Donna Friedlander, president of Tally-Ho Carriage Tours, sent out a statement on behalf of the two companies on Friday.
“We are all dedicated to ensuring the horses’ physical and mental health through trust-based relationships and upholding the highest standards of care on a global scale,” the statement says. “We are progressive companies that continually implement advancements in the industry.”
Friedlander said a group of equine advocates, the Victoria Horse Protection Alliance, has initiated a petition supporting the industry and promoting appropriate regulations.
It urges the industry and governing bodies to ensure that regulations are in place to ensure horses’ health, safety and working conditions, including: • Limited working hours for all horses • Mandatory veterinary oversight • Restricted operating areas in the downtown core • Requiring horses to have shelter from the elements, access to clean water and appropriate forage at all times • Requiring operators to be licensed and subject to thirdparty inspection