Melbourne scored another amazing victory for animal rights by banning horse-drawn carriages in their central business district. The Australian city is just one of many major metro areas – including Chicago, Rome, and Salt Lake City – that have banned horse-drawn carriages on city streets in recent years. But further east on the Australian coast, Sydney still allows the torturous and dangerous practice.
Sign now to tell Sydney: follow in Melbourne's footsteps! Ban horse-drawn carriages in city limits!
We know that these rides are not only painful for the horses because of weight load, high temperatures, or the unnatural hard concrete beneath their hooves, but also because of where they are forced to perform this work. These carriage rides are most popular in densely populated, highly-toured cities where noise is loud and constant, people don't necessarily know how to act around large animals, and basically everywhere you turn is a visually overwhelming scene. Horses are evolved to live in wide open, empty spaces. They are prey animals, meaning loud noises or quick movements make them feel like they are in a deadly situation. Horse drawn carriages in cities like Sydney are like torture for them.
To make matters worse, the conditions are only getting harsher. With climate change worsening summer heat around the globe, temperatures will be record-breaking. Horses are already showing signs of exhaustion and heat-induced illness when carrying human passengers in summer months, and we must end this practice before it gets even more unendurable.
We must not let Sydney off the hook: tell city officials now to ban the abusive practice of using horse-drawn carriages!
