A California based animal rights group is pushing for the ban of a long tradition for the historic city of Old Sacramento, California: the horse drawn carriage.
Working Animal Advocates, a not-for-profit animal rights group that formed in 2012, is leading the campaign arguing that forcing horses to pull heavy wagons amid traffic, tourists, and hot weather conditions is abusive.
Known for their stamina and strength, horses have been a common animal used in different activities across the country including hunting, farming, and recreational use since they first arrived in North America around the 16th century.
Horses are an essential tool when it comes to the hunting community, including being used to carry hunters in the long tradition of fox hunting and also for back country hunts as transportation and pack horses.
The anti’s campaign, known as “Carriage Free Sacramento”, is being spearheaded by Kim Flaherty, a Bay Area Activist. Her group’s campaign includes online petitioning, picketing, and letters to public officials as reported by The Sacramento Bee.
Although this campaign may seem small and insignificant, it is important that these situations not be taken lightly as losing this use of horses could lead to campaigns that would ban the use of horses in hunting and other communities.
Photo by: fmpgoh, Flickr Creative Commons
