In Support of a Ban on Horse-Drawn Carriages in Savannah, GA
May 2, 2024
Introduction:
We have taken all the proper steps and spent time speaking with veterinarians and people experienced with horses, observing the horses, researching, and talking to residents, tourists, and members of City Council. The work done by the people in this room and many other concerned citizens has resulted in much solid research supporting a ban, over 140,000 petition signatures, many testimonials from passionate members of the public, veterinarians, and horse sanctuaries, and footage of research-backed, concerning body language displayed by Savannah’s carriage horses. I employ you to consider me and my colleague as mouthpieces for the consensus of research, veterinarians, and the members of public.
Health, Safety and Well-Being Concerns for the Horses and People
This is not a matter of those experienced in working with horses vs animal advocates who have never worked with horses. We have endorsements from sanctuaries who have dedicated their lives to the welfare of horses and from veterinarians such as those from the Humane Society Veterinarian Medical Association. They have written us an extensive letter endorsing a ban in Savannah with their reasoning including problematic sourcing of horses, respiratory disease risk from exhaust fumes, lameness from walking on hard pavement, heat prostration from weather concerns, and spooking.
These issues would not be solved with mere welfare improvements. They would not even be solved with banning carriages in the summer, which is the absolute least we could do. For one, because that would only address one area of concern, but also because of the widely accepted rule of 150. This rule states that if the combined temperature plus the humidity is greater than 150, there is a serious risk to the horse’s well-being. The number is actually risky between 130-140, but I use 150 to be generous. Savannah’s weather failed this 150 rule 17 out of 30 days in August 2023. In a hot, humid city like Savannah, this number is unfortunately met year round, including even warm days in the winter months. This number can also easily be reached in warm evenings. We also should be using the rule of 130, not 150, because 150 is when the risk gets more severe. At 130, the horses already have a decreased ability to cool themselves.
A complete ban is the only way to ensure all the above risks are eliminated.
Additionally, emotional well-being concerns arise for carriage horses due to the denial of natural behaviors and the prolonging lack of autonomy over their own movement often leading to consistent frustration. Equine Wellness states, “In order to have strong, healthy feet and legs, therefore, a horse needs constant freedom of movement.”
Physical discomfort and mental frustration manifest themselves in the form of observable concerning body language, which we see constantly and have recorded examples of. The body language witnessed are behaviors that animal behaviorists and veterinarians widely recognize as concerning.
There have also been numerous carriage accidents in Savannah as we all know resulting in serious injuries to the public including hospitalizations and broken bones. Most famously, the accident in 2019 caused by a tree cutter letting a tree limb fall and spooking a carriage horse causing him to run through
an intersection and crash, resulted in the horse being injured and 7 people being pinned under the carriage, injured, and hospitalized. None of this resulted in proactive action. Not a good look.
The carriage companies’ reliance on the endorsement from their veterinarian as a rebuttal to these public concerns employs a strawman tactic, whether intentional or not, because it does not address any of the public’s criticisms.
Their vet endorsement, while certainly relevant to the horses’ immediate physical condition, fails to address the public’s apprehensions. Horses are widely accepted as being unfit for the city due to their easily spooked nature, the unpredictable, loud, and heavily trafficked streets, common long-term health issues, and mental well-being concerns. These problems cannot be dismissed by a mere certification of their overall health during static moments in a controlled setting like a stall. The vets endorsing a ban have assessed the problems of the horses on the actual streets, which addresses the public’s concerns directly.
An overall healthy horse at a checkup does not necessarily equal a happy horse on the street.
The carriage companies have also cited that there have been no heat-related incidents in Savannah so why change anything, but it is proven that as submissive creatures, horses push themselves more than they should after being uncomfortable and “Adrenaline can help mask pain and allow a horse to push itself harder than may be beneficial to its welfare.” It is also studied that “caregivers are extremely poor at recognizing fear and anxiety in horses” and “even experienced horsemen and women cannot judge mental state accurately”. It is illogical to ignore all the science signs of discomfort and wait for one of these incidents before doing something about it.
Even if one were to generously accept the notion that these horses “need a job,” the conditions in which they currently operate in city environments are incongruent with their breeding. Horses were bred to work, but in rural settings, away from the stressors of modern urban life which I have listed. The overwhelming consensus of the research claims horses belong in rural settings and there is no evidence that urban environments have any benefits to the horses. Urban environments only provide risks to the horses. Experts believe that horses require mental stimulation and activity, rather than a job serving human interests and their pulling capabilities have no bearing on this.
The public’s disgust for this industry persists despite attempts from the carriage industry to convince them otherwise. Every time we do public outreach events, people show passionate support yelling praise from their cars, thanking us for our efforts, and they often have to wait their turn to sign our petition.
Responsible Tourism and Consumer Trends
The public is more concerned now than ever with animal welfare. This is a major cause for a growing trend in tourism called “Responsible Tourism” which is any form of tourism which can be consumed in a more responsible way. As an example of this increased animal welfare concern, the Ringling Brothers Circus started back up with animal-free performances after shutting down in 2017 due to declining ticket sales resulting from increased animal welfare education. Attractions like SeaWorld experienced extreme declines in public popularity due to increased public concern, as epitomized by the “Blackfish effect.” This effect refers to SeaWorld reporting significantly lower attendance rates and shutting down its orca
breeding program following the release of the documentary “Blackfish,” which brought to light numerous ethical concerns to the public about their animals.
On that note, the Responsible Tourism Partnership organization states global tourist polls have shown “there’s great customer appetite” for animal-cruelty free tourism and cites horse-carriages specifically as falling under the umbrella of animal exploitation. A 2017 global poll “shows that more than 80% of tourists would prefer to see animals in their natural environment, proving animal-friendly tourism is on the rise.” Millennial and Gen Z tourists (18-35) are more likely than any other group to care about animal welfare issues and this group also makes up the majority of travelers.
At a meeting in Philadelphia, Dr. Clare Weeden, a tourism and marketing researcher from the University of Brighton and expert in Responsible Tourism trends, underscored the importance of including the banning of horse-drawn carriages in Responsible Tourism considerations. From a marketing perspective, she emphasized that differentiation is a key benefit of Responsible Tourism.
Savannah, like many historic southern cities, must proactively overcome its complex and dark history to welcome socially concerned tourists. Savannah has taken commendable, successful steps to enhance its reputation and position itself as a city that values moral evolvement. Events like Savannah’s Pride Parade attracted over 30,000 visitors. Efforts to promote African American experiences also yielded positive results, with African American tourists in Savannah increasing from 12% in 2010 to 21% in 2019. These examples underscore the fact that people gravitate to destinations where their values are mirrored. Therefore, it stands to reason that carriage ban, signaling a commitment to animal welfare and overall progression, would attract a greater number of tourists aligned with these values.
Evolving consumer behavior has prompted tour companies to respond proactively by developing animal friendly policies. For instance, to keep with the times, Airbnb has extensive animal welfare standards and their policy states “No working animal carriage or cart rides in an urban environment” may be booked through their site. With these new consumer values in mind, the large population of those concerned with animal welfare have no reason to choose Savannah right now as a vacation destination. A ban may spark interest in our city in those who had written us off as stuck in the past or had never even thought about us. This goes to show that a carriage ban is not only smart ethically, but economically as well.
We will join many cities who have successfully banned carriages including Chicago, Asheville, Key West, Salt Lake City, and Las Vegas who cited the same concerns as I am today. After a ban was announced, these cities received national news coverage from sites like The New York Times, People, and the Daily Mail for their decision.
Savannah on the other hand has gotten plenty of negative national news coverage from major media outlets like the Huffington Post and CBS News for our carriage accidents indirectly announcing us to the country and the world as a city unconcerned with animal welfare.
No one comes to Savannah for the carriages and if they don’t ride them, they will spend their dollar elsewhere.
Conclusion
In conclusion, with Savannah’s rich historical charm and abundance of tourism options, we would not lose any of our appeal by banning horse carriages. Instead, the city stands to gain significant positive
impacts from this ban with a newfound reputation of compassion and open-mindedness. After numerous dangerous accidents giving us negative publicity and jeopardizing horse and human safety, a substantial body of evidence concluding horses do not belong on city streets for their own well-being, and data concluding tourists value animal welfare more than ever, instituting a ban becomes a matter of common sense.
History tells us these welfare concerns will persist and there will inevitably be more accidents in Savannah that jeopardize both human and horse safety causing further negative publicity. If proactive recommendations to avoid this are ignored, there will be some serious explaining to do by everyone who had the power to prevent it but did nothing. Now that we are all informed on this topic, each of us now bears the responsibility to act by supporting a ban on horse carriages in our wonderful city. After years of just talking, it is time to finally do something, and the remaining puzzle piece is the city’s cooperation. While there’s only a few people in this room, the world is watching, and we should be careful to do the right thing and I’m optimistic that we will.
