I like Savannah in most aspects, but one thing I cannot stand is the horse carriages. I consider it animal cruelty when one horse is forced to carry people (most of the time one horse carrying 5-6 people). To make it worse, it gets so hot here. These horses are put on busy downtown roads where a lot of cars pass by them. Since horses are prey animals, this could really scare them. Ever since I've been here, I have seen unhealthy looking horses. This includes really frail horses, horses drooling, horses panting, and horses that are so hunched over that they look like they're about to collapse.
It hurts me everyday I see them, so I am deciding to do something about it. Soon, I will be setting up a petition that I hope will gain attention of some people. Please help me and the horses. It is most definitely not right.
Many cities have already banned them; please help Savannah be one of them!
Updates
April 28, 2016
I have been hearing from so many of you who see the same tired horses that I see downtown every day. It feels less lonely knowing that people care about these animals as much as I do. Please keep looking out for them while I work on getting this in front of the right people.
April 28, 2016
I am honestly overwhelmed by how many people care about these horses as much as I do. This momentum belongs entirely to you because I never thought my small idea would reach this many people.
16 Comments
Having worked on a horse farm, I am fully aware of healthy horses, and these horses are overworked. I understand "Southern Charm", but no one wants to kill a horse. If you don't ban them altogether, at least ONLY work the horses in the early morning when it's cooler. Stop at noon.
No animal should be labored in the heat like this and on the hard hot concrete and in the rain and with all the car exhaust etc.
I can say that I have seen these horses up close and the reality is pretty grim. These horses are working in 80-90 degree weather, pulling 6-7 or so tourists nonstop for almost the entire day. The roads are crowded, especially during tourist season when these horse carriages are operating. It's hard enough to drive and park in Savannah just think of these poor animals. I understand the nostalgia and/or novelty that comes with these carriage rides, but the health and the wellbeing of these horses are more important.
I hate that these horses have to work all day long in such strenuous work days. As well as it being extremely hot. They are too skinny and look miserable as well. Their feet are so beaten up and it's just horrible how they treat the animals.
Besides holding up traffic, urinating on the streets in front of a cafe I'm eating at, and just generally being in the way...I've never felt the carriages have ever been a positive part of the tourism community. If the idea is to transport you through Savannah by old fashion means, essentially time traveling to the past...how do you account for holding up a stream of cars and the sound of whizzing by traffic into your "time travel" experience?
Stop the cruelty!
This has been going on for way too long!!
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I like Savannah in most aspects, but one thing I cannot stand is the horse carriages. I consider it animal cruelty when one horse is forced to carry people (most of the time one horse carrying 5-6 people). To make it worse, it gets so hot here. These horses are put on busy downtown roads where a lot of cars pass by them. Since horses are prey animals, this could really scare them. Ever since I've been here, I have seen unhealthy looking horses. This includes really frail horses, horses drooling, horses panting, and horses that are so hunched over that they look like they're about to collapse.
It hurts me everyday I see them, so I am deciding to do something about it. Soon, I will be setting up a petition that I hope will gain attention of some people. Please help me and the horses. It is most definitely not right.
Many cities have already banned them; please help Savannah be one of them!
Updates
April 28, 2016
I have been hearing from so many of you who see the same tired horses that I see downtown every day. It feels less lonely knowing that people care about these animals as much as I do. Please keep looking out for them while I work on getting this in front of the right people.
April 28, 2016
I am honestly overwhelmed by how many people care about these horses as much as I do. This momentum belongs entirely to you because I never thought my small idea would reach this many people.
16 Comments
Agree, these horses look miserable and I feel like there is so much going on around them downtown they are probably extremely stressed as well. If anything, at the very least there should be limits placed on number of people per cart and no rides on 80+ degree days. I am not a horse expert but this just doesn't seem right.
Having worked on a horse farm, I am fully aware of healthy horses, and these horses are overworked. I understand "Southern Charm", but no one wants to kill a horse. If you don't ban them altogether, at least ONLY work the horses in the early morning when it's cooler. Stop at noon.
No animal should be labored in the heat like this and on the hard hot concrete and in the rain and with all the car exhaust etc.
I can say that I have seen these horses up close and the reality is pretty grim. These horses are working in 80-90 degree weather, pulling 6-7 or so tourists nonstop for almost the entire day. The roads are crowded, especially during tourist season when these horse carriages are operating. It's hard enough to drive and park in Savannah just think of these poor animals. I understand the nostalgia and/or novelty that comes with these carriage rides, but the health and the wellbeing of these horses are more important.
I hate that these horses have to work all day long in such strenuous work days. As well as it being extremely hot. They are too skinny and look miserable as well. Their feet are so beaten up and it's just horrible how they treat the animals.
Besides holding up traffic, urinating on the streets in front of a cafe I'm eating at, and just generally being in the way...I've never felt the carriages have ever been a positive part of the tourism community. If the idea is to transport you through Savannah by old fashion means, essentially time traveling to the past...how do you account for holding up a stream of cars and the sound of whizzing by traffic into your "time travel" experience?
Stop the cruelty!
This has been going on for way too long!!
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Agree, these horses look miserable and I feel like there is so much going on around them downtown they are probably extremely stressed as well. If anything, at the very least there should be limits placed on number of people per cart and no rides on 80+ degree days. I am not a horse expert but this just doesn't seem right.