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Orlando, Florida (February 2nd 2006)
Carriages were a fixture in
downtown Orlando during the 1980s and early '90s
heyday of Church Street Station but have been
largely absent for nearly three years. Now, four new
companies are lining up to revive the practice,
which resulted in animal-rights activists suing the
city on Monday.
Carriage owners say that the concern of animal
welfare activists is misplaced, citing that their
horses get the very best care, treatment and
companionship. The company Downtown Horse and
Carriage II recently began offering romantic rides
around Lake Eola, and it plans to offer a funeral
service in the near future.
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The Animal Rights Foundation of
Florida (ARFF) sued in Orange County Circuit Court,
accusing the City Council of changing the
regulations for carriage permits without adequate
notice. They ultimately want an outright ban on the practice.
As Holly Cheever D. V. M., a respected equine vet who has treated carriage horses in New York, points out, “Lameness and hoof deterioration are inevitable when a horse spends his or her life walking or jogging on the unnaturally concussive asphalt of city streets.”
For more than 20 years, a single business held
all 10 permits issued by the city. But that company
recently went out of business, and while its permits
were still active, no other companies were allowed
to use them. In November, the council lifted the cap
on permits so other carriage companies could apply.
The problem, according to the lawsuit, is the city
changed the ordinance on an "emergency"
basis, sidestepping a state law that requires public
notice and two hearings that would have allowed
animal-rights activists to object.
Chief Assistant City Attorney Natasha Permaul
said the city classified the changes as an emergency
because allowing time to advertise the ordinance,
coupled with the holidays, would have delayed the
matter as much as two months.
Three weeks ago, a horse spooked by traffic
bolted through midtown Manhattan, slamming into a
station wagon. The accident, which left the horse's
handler in critical condition, prompted calls for
restricting carriages in New York City to Central
Park. There have been no serious accidents involving
carriages in Orlando, city officials said. Since
council members lifted the cap on carriage permits,
four companies have been approved to operate in the
city.
Related Resources
The
Animal Rights Foundation of Florida
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