Campaign to end Horse-drawn-carriages: Austria
The Austrian animal advocacy NGO Association
against Animal Factories (VGT) has been running a
campaign to end the use of horse-drawn-carriages since
2006.
General information about carriage horses
in Austria
Austria has horse-drawn-carriages operating in three
of its federal state capitals; Vienna, Salzburg and
Innsbruck. In Vienna 160 licences have been issued.
Each licence is for a carriage with two horses which
means there are 320 horses registered. In Salzburg
there are five companies operating and in Innsbruck
three.
The keeping of horses is covered by the Federal
Animal Protection act, the main points of which are:
Housing and stables
Flooring must be non-slip, and boxes must have straw
bedding which is dry and the area must be large enough
for each horse to lie down.
Freedom of movement
Keeping horses tied is prohibited with a phase out
period until the end of 2009. However the phase out
period also stipulates that horses must be turned
out daily whereby they have freedom to exercise. Training
and working do not count. During the time that it
is still permitted to tie horses, they must be able
to move backwards, forwards, from side to side, lie
down and eat without being restricted.
Light
If there is no access to outside, the stable building
must have windows that allow enough daylight in.
Nutrition
Stables must have appropriate mangers and provision
for allowing horses to eat and drink.
Care
All tack must fit properly
In addition horse-drawn-carriage operators in Vienna
should comply with the Horse and Carriage to Hire
law. This law states that horse-drawn-carriages may
only operate between 9 a.m. and 11 p.m. This includes
time needed to tack up and travel to the tourist pick
up point.
Research into conditions
VGT has carried out research over several years
into how carriage horses are kept and their working
conditions. This research reveals the following problems:
Keeping conditions
- Horses are tied without being turned out in
a paddock or similar area
- Boxes too narrow
- Boxes not allowing horses to see each other
- Boxes without straw bedding
- Horses kept in the dark
- No access to drinking water
- Potentially dangerous conditions
- Horses kept in spaces which are too small for
both of them to lie down
- Horses kept on tiled flooring
- Use of sedatives on horses
Working conditions
- Ill fitting tack
- Bald patches on horses coats
- Wounds
- Lameness
- Hooves and horse-shoes in bad condition
- Emaciated horses in service
- Little to no food given
- No provision of water
- Long periods of standing in extreme temperatures
- Operating outside legally stipulated hours
- Horses given no freedom of movement
- Walking, trotting and even cantering constantly
on tarmac
- Use of muzzles
- Rough handling of horses
- Horses showing signs of stress
- Frequent road traffic accidents involving carriage
horses
Official inspections
Inspections are superficial and not frequent enough
Penalties
Weak to non-existent penalties
No changes made following a penalty
Campaign demands and solutions
The aim of the campaign is to achieve immediate
improvements in terms of the horses’ welfare with
the intention of phasing out the use of horse-drawn-carriages
altogether.
VGT demands:
- Effective inspections
- Effective enforcement of the law and appropriate
penalties
- The working day for carriage horses limited
to six hours
- At least two free days a week for each horse
- Horses kept in boxes must have paddock access
daily
- Horses are not to be kept in the dark
- Horses are to be offered water in between trips
- Adequate protection from extreme temperatures
- A ban on muzzles
- Use of shock absorbing horse-shoes
- Relocation of stables to parks and green areas
Solutions
A win-win situation for all parties concerned would
be to replace horse-drawn-carriages with environmentally-friendly,
high-tech vehicles.
The campaign so far
Using the research as a basis VGT has alerted the
authorities, politicians, tourists and media to the
suffering of carriage horses. Regular contact with
those mentioned above and charging drivers for breaking
the law is resulting in improved inspections.
The major of Vienna has also been approached about
replacing horses with environmentally-friendly high-tech
vehicles.
Regular campaign updates:
www.vgt.at/horse-drawn-carriages
| 
