{"id":15909,"date":"2016-04-21T15:12:55","date_gmt":"2016-04-21T19:12:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/kb.webitgarage.ca\/following-a-collision-between-a-carriage-horse-and-a-car-projet-montreal-demands-that-the-city-of-montreal-takes-action-to-help-carriage-horses\/"},"modified":"2018-06-11T21:08:16","modified_gmt":"2018-06-12T01:08:16","slug":"following-a-collision-between-a-carriage-horse-and-a-car-projet-montreal-demands-that-the-city-of-montreal-takes-action-to-help-carriage-horses","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.spca.com\/en\/following-a-collision-between-a-carriage-horse-and-a-car-projet-montreal-demands-that-the-city-of-montreal-takes-action-to-help-carriage-horses\/","title":{"rendered":"Following a collision between a carriage horse and a car, Projet Montreal demands that the City of Montreal takes action to help carriage horses"},"content":{"rendered":"

Montreal, April 21, 2016 \u2013<\/b>\u00a0This morning, following a\u00a0collision between a carriage horse and a car caught on video<\/a>\u00a0yesterday in Griffintown, Projet Montreal is asking the Coderre administration to take concrete steps to help carriage horses in our city. The Montreal SPCA has been opposed to the use of horse-drawn carriages since 1869 and has repeatedly asked the city of Montreal to work with our organisation to phase out this antiquated and inhumane practice. The Montreal SPCA is thus pleased to see the official opposition publicly asking the city to act in order to help these horses.<\/p>\n

Projet Montreal is asking the Coderre administration to hold a public consultation about horse carriages as quickly as possible, to publish the report from the group \u2018Cheval Cheval<\/i>\u2019 hired by the city to advise on the issue of carriage horses , to increase the number of inspectors dedicated to enforcing the by-laws related to carriage horses and to immediately suspend all carriage horse vehicle permits belonging to the owner of the vehicle implicated in yesterday\u2019s incident until the incident is thoroughly investigated. \u201cThis unfortunate incident simply adds to the poor track record of Montreal\u2019s horse-drawn carriage industry. Mayor Coderre\u2019s strategy of inaction is no longer acceptable\u201d stated Sterling Downey, animal management critic for the official opposition. \u201cThis industry needs a serious and immediate overhaul, or else its activities will have to be terminated\u201d added Downey.<\/p>\n

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\u201cCarriage horses in Montreal are often forced to work nine or more hours per day, seven days a week, they are subject to potential collisions with traffic, loud noises that can cause \u201cspooking\u201d (which can also endanger humans), extreme temperatures, and years of walking on unnaturally hard surfaces which often causes lameness. When the horses are not working, they are kept tied in stalls , have no opportunity to move around freely, or engage in any other natural behaviors\u201d said Me Alanna Devine, Director of Animal Advocacy at the Montreal SPCA. \u201cWe will continue to encourage the city of Montreal to phase out this inhumane, unsafe, and unnecessary industry and we are very encouraged by the fact that Projet Montreal has chosen to take a stand on this important issue.\u201d<\/p>\n

Many world-class cities, such as London, Paris, Beijing, and Toronto, have already banned horse-drawn carriages. The Montreal SPCA believes it is time for Montreal to follow suit by phasing-out this antiquated, inhumane, and unsafe industry.<\/p>\n

Please express your concerns about the welfare and working conditions of Montreal carriage horses to the members of the Montreal Executive Committee, and politely ask that the city of Montreal phase out carriage horses, by writing to the following individuals:<\/p>\n