Arguments in favor of a ban that cannot be solved with stricter ordinances.
Problem #1: City conditions are hazardous to the horses:
No modification to the ordinance would prevent unpredictable city noise that causes horses to be spooked and lead to inevitable future accidents. “When exposed to noisy events, horses can show intense escape attempts, which may cause severe accidents for the horse and the rider/handler”. It would also not solve the issue of the health hazards to the horses such as breathing in city pollution due to their positioning on the roads and the painful hoof issues caused by walking all day on asphalt. Their hooves are designed for walking on softer ground and this can cause serious discomfort due to the lack of shock absorption on a hard surface, no matter how well they’re groomed.
Problem #2: Savannah’s negative reputation amongst the public:
Countless tourists have expressed disgust at seeing the carriage horses. We have almost 150k petition signatures (across different formats) from the public supporting a carriage ban. The accidents have given our city international negative news coverage. A stricter ordinance is incapable of resolving this issue. There is a huge growing population of individuals who want no part in animals exploited for entertainment. Savannah looks naive, uncompassionate, and behind the times to these responsible tourists.
Problem #3: Traffic delays
A stricter ordinance would not prevent the carriages from constantly slowing down city traffic that is already cramped due to Savannah’s historic streets.
Problem #4: Horses are denied their natural environments and behaviors
A stricter ordinance would not solve the fact that carriage horses are completely denied their autonomy, natural behaviors, and natural environment. They belong in rural environments.
