Montreal November 5, 2018 - The Society for the Protection of Animals Canada (SPA Canada) deplores the death of a horse in the Old Port of Montreal on November 4th.
A 15-year-old horse died suddenly while pulling a carriage. There will be an investigation into the cause of death which is as yet unknown. Horse drawn carriages are due to be made illegal in Montreal, in December 2019, thanks to Mayor Valérie Plante's team, however in the meantime, there will be nothing in place to improve conditions for working horses.
Horses pull carriages around the Old Port for long hours and are then taken to a stable where they must remain in a stall where movement is limited due to the small, restrictive area. After the carriage, they are then tethered to a stall. "These horses definitely do not live in acceptable conditions. Their lives are miserable 24 hours a day, "said Dominique Routhier, animal biologist at SPA Canada. "They work as slaves, earning money for their abusers, but never get their true value in return. If the coachmen really loved their horses, they would place them in sanctuaries so that they get the best possible treatment."
“The life of a carriage horse is far from optimal for the physiological and psychological well-being of a horse. Horses are prey, which means that they are highly stressed by city life."Explains Mrs. Routhier. It is high time to ban these animals from driving carriages on busy streets and being forced to breathe toxic smoke, live in noise and pollution. This tourist attraction has no place in our society.
While waiting for the end of horse drawn carriages in Montreal, SPA Canada asks citizens to continue denouncing them and to spread awareness as much as possible in order to educate tourists. In addition, SPA Canada urges the cities of Quebec and Ottawa to stop taking advantage of the misery of horses used in the carriages industry by banning this practice as soon as possible.
-30-
