CALLS to ban horse-drawn carriages in Sevilla have intensified in the wake of Malaga’s decision to outlaw the popular tourist transport.
A ‘public and transparent’ debate on the future of horse-drawn carriages in the city has been requested by Con Podemos-IU. This should be followed by a referendum so that citizens’ voices can be heard.
Currently there are almost 100 tourist carriage license holders in Sevilla – nearly quadruple the number in Malaga prior to their ban last week.
Hundreds of horses are made to navigate the chaotic tourist hotspot in the blazing heat – in summer, temperatures in Sevilla can reach up to 40C. The animals lack easy access to water and often are kept away from shady spots, claim critics.
Animal rights activists have been campaigning for the carriages to be banned for years as they claim the scorching working conditions constitute animal abuse.
The ban in Malaga left the fate of the horses to be determined – at least two of them have ended up moving to Sevilla to continue their work, according to the owner of ‘A Better Life 4 Horses’, Signe Frossle.
Others were rescued just in time, narrowly escaping the slaughterhouses that they otherwise would have been sent to.
There is concern that a ban of the carriages in Sevilla would leave hundreds of horses with an uncertain and grim future – one of the coachmen’s associations reportedly believes the animals would end up at slaughterhouses.
READ MORE: Victory for campaigners as Malaga bans horse-drawn carriages – but what will happen to the animals?
Despite these fears, the Podemos party believes that Sevilla ‘cannot remain stuck in a tourism model of the past, while other cities have taken bold steps towards protecting animal welfare and modernizing public spaces.’
They are now urgently calling for a referendum to decide the fate of horse-drawn tourist carriages.
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