On Friday, April 16, a horse drawn carriage was hit by two speeding cars in Atlanta. The carriage driver and three passengers were thrown into the air by the force of the impact. All four people had serious injuries and were taken to the hospital. Similar incidents have occurred in nearly every city in which horse-drawn carriages operate, often causing serious and even fatal injuries to horses, motorists, onlookers, carriage operators, and passengers.
Horses being forced to pull over-sized loads on Atlanta's busy streets not only endangers the public but is also blatantly cruel to the horses.
Horses who are constantly walking and standing on hard streets suffer from lameness and hoof deterioration.
The smoke and exhaust fumes from Atlanta's traffic also poses a danger to these gentle animals; horses walk with their heads lowered and the fumes they breathe in cause respiratory ailments.
Atlanta's legendary heat and humidity put carriage horses in danger; horses have dropped dead from heatstroke after working in scorching summer weather. A study published by researchers from Cornell University found that the air temperature recorded by the weather bureau can be nearly 50 degrees cooler than the asphalt temperature.
Horses are often surprised and spooked by loud noises on the street, which can cause them to run amok creating a danger to horses and humans alike.
Therefore:
Because horse drawn carriages constitute a danger to people in vehicles, on bicycles and on foot; and
Because they impede the flow of traffic, particularly with respect to emergency vehicles; and
Because it is inhumane and unbecoming to a great city like Atlanta to force these beautiful sentient animals to work in dangerous, unhealthy and unnatural conditions.
We, the Undersigned, hereby urge Mayor Reed to immediately ban all horse drawn carriages from the City of Atlanta.
Sincerely,
