Animal News

Dallas joins other U.S. cities in considering ban on horse-drawn carriages

Horse on Dallas street in front of Adolphus Hotel.

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Horse carriage rides represent an idyllic experience, an activity to celebrate the holidays or a platform for romance. But detractors say that the use of horse carriages in urban settings such as downtown Dallas puts animals and humans at risk: Street traffic, the sound of a horn, and unfamiliar objects on the road can cause a horse to spook.

UPDATE 6-26-2024: Dallas' City Council is expected to vote on 24-1971, an ordinance to amend the Dallas City Code to remove horse-drawn carriages at no cost to the City.

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Risks such as these are among the factors being weighed by the Dallas City Council's Quality of Life Committee, who took up the topic of a possible ban at their meeting on December 5.

The issue is not unique to Dallas. New York has had multiple events involving horse-drawn carriages that have brought the cruelty of the practice to light: In July 2023, a horse named Billy died after being forced to pull carriages during a punishing heat wave, and in August, another horse collapsed in Hell’s Kitchen.

Jerry Finch, Founder and President of Habitat for Horses, says that horses used under these circumstances are pushed beyond their limit and suffer from heat exhaustion, loss of weight, and severe hoof issues.

"The stress of being on crowded streets, breathing exhaust fumes, denied adequate water, constantly walking on paved roads in weather extremes often leads to severe medical issues," Finch says.

Other cities such as New York, San Antonio, and Philadelphia have all recently proposed similar bans. Cities that have already instituted bans include Chicago and Salt Lake City.

Dallas has an active group petitioning for a ban, founded in 2021 by Gloria Carbajal, a social worker and avid animal lover who created a Facebook page called Ban Horse Carriages in Dallas and who holds monthly events at Klyde Warren Park to create awareness.

“I just knew that nobody was stepping up to the plate to spearhead this in Dallas," Carbajal says.

Carbajal partnered with Jodie Wiederkehr, Executive Director of Chicago Alliance for Animals and executive director of the Partnership to Ban Horse Carriages Worldwide, who successfully led an effort to ban horse-drawn carriages in Chicago in April 2020. The Chicago ban went into effect on January 1st, 2021, providing the three horse carriage operators in the city ample time to phase their businesses out.

“We have no desire to put people out of jobs. We just want to end a cruel and outdated activity," Wiederkehr said in a statement.

Dallas has four horse-carriage operators, but the dominant player is Northstar Carriage, which offers rides from Klyde Warren Park and West End. (The other three companies are focused primarily on private events.) A representative from Northstar claimed that the company follows coding rules and guidelines, takes good care of the animals, and keeps log sheets.

Dallas City Council member Adam Bazaldua, who chairs the Council’s quality of life committee, supports a ban.

“I don’t think we should have a place for horses on our streets,” Bazaldua told the Dallas Morning News. “I think it’s inhumane for the animal. I think it’s overall dangerous for having safer streets."

During the December 5 meeting, council member Gay Donnell Willis concurred, saying that "as a society, it may be time to just move beyond this" practice.

But District 14 council member Paul Ridley said he was opposed, feigning laughable concern about the future of the horses.

“These horses have a purpose in life and that’s to work,” Ridley said. “If we ban this operation, what’s going to happen to those horses? They’re probably going to be put down because they are expensive to maintain, and if they don’t generate income, there’s no motivation to keep them around."

The industry is monitored by the Transportation Regulation Division, under the Department of Aviation, who said in a statement that "compliance is monitored through periodic field audits to verify requirements are being met."

Aviation department director Patrick Carreno told council members that his office knew of no record of any accidents involving North Star Carriage.

But People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), which keeps a national list of horse-carriage related accidents, recorded two accidents in Dallas in 2014. In both cases, the horses got spooked and threw people out of the carriages, then ran freely down the street.

In other cities that have instituted bans, the horse carriages have been replaced by electric-driven carriages, resulting in no losses of jobs, the most common objection raised by carriage companies.

"There's no need to keep these overworked horses toiling on hard, loud, congested urban streets," Carbajal says.

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Heat Wave News

Dallas pet owners should take these steps with oncoming heat wave

SPCA

Keep your pets hydrated. Consider putting out a kiddie pool.

Dallas weather is about to take a serious turn, and the SPCA has valuable advice on what steps pet owners should take. It's easy to forget that animals get hit hard by the heat, and especially in Texas: A report by Veterinarians.org found that Texas was No. 1 on the list of states with heat-related pet deaths. Based on data they compiled from 2018-2022, Texa had 40 reported heat-related pet deaths — more than six times the national five-year average.

In a statement, SPCA of Texas Interim Chief Veterinarian Valarie Tynes, DVM, DACVB, DACAW reminds pet owners that their pets have very few ways to cool themselves down.

“As a veterinarian, I’ve seen far too many cases of dogs and cats suffering from heatstroke, often brought into the emergency room when it’s already too late," Tynes says. "Our pets have very limited ways to cool themselves down. They can sweat a small amount through their paw pads, but their main way to release excess heat is by panting. Panting helps pets cool off through the evaporation of moisture, but it only provides limited relief, especially during extreme temperatures."

Tynes says that, when the body can’t shed heat fast enough, serious internal damage begins to occur.

"The proteins and chemicals that keep the body functioning start to break down," she says. "I’ve seen heat affect the kidneys and brain—organs and processes that are incredibly sensitive to high temperatures."

Breed, overall health and environment all can influence how at-risk a pet is, but one thing is always true: prevention is critical. Please don’t underestimate how dangerous heat can be.

Tynes advises pet owners to keep pets in cool, shaded areas, provide plenty of fresh water, and avoid walks or outdoor activity during the hottest parts of the day.

Here are some proactive measures to keep pets safe and comfortable during these sweltering days:

Keep your pets hydrated
Make sure your furry friends have access to fresh, cool water at all times. Consider placing multiple water bowls around your home and refill them regularly. If your pets must be outside during the day, make sure there are plenty of shady spaces throughout the day and several shaded, nontippable water bowls filled with ice water. Do not use metal bowls outside.

If possible, a small wading pool filled with cold ice water and placed in a shaded area outside is preferred. This not only allows pets to drink but also to cool off in the water when overheating.

Schedule exercise with your pets wisely on warm days
Give your pet plenty of water before and after walks or playtime. Be sure to avoid strenuous activities during the hottest parts of the day. Early mornings (before 10 a.m.) or late evenings (after 5 p.m.)—when temperatures are lower—are ideal for walks or playtime.

Hot pavement can burn paw pads, so opt for walking on grassy areas. Consider using paw wax or booties to shield sensitive paws from hot pavement, rocks or sand that can cause burns and blisters. If you cannot hold the back of your hand on the pavement for five to 10 seconds, the pavement is too hot for your pet.

Make sure your pets have plenty of shade
If your pet spends any time outside, be sure it has plenty of shade so he or she can get out of the sun. This is where the ground or grass will be coolest—under a tree, an umbrella, or a simple, open structure. Do not tie or restrain the pet so that it cannot move between shady spots as needed.

If it is really hot and humid, bring your pet indoors and into air-conditioned areas.

Never leave your pet in a locked car
No matter what, even if you think you will be away from the car for just a few minutes, do not leave your pet unattended in a parked car. The car can absorb enough energy within minutes to become a death mobile. A cracked window or two is not enough to prevent heatstroke when it’s hot, or even warm. It is also not enough to park in the shade on a hot day and leave all the windows and even sunroof open.

While weather in the 70s may seem harmless, a Stanford study showed that in just an hour, a car’s temperature rose to 116 degrees internally when left out in 72-degree heat. It is not recommended to leave the air conditioner running in a car for your pet. Oftentimes the air conditioner malfunctions, leading to overheating inside the vehicle.

Heatstroke is a serious and potentially life-threatening condition that can affect pets when they are exposed to high temperatures and excessive heat. Dogs and cats cannot regulate their body temperature as efficiently as humans, making them more susceptible to heatstroke. It can occur in as little as 10-15 minutes, especially in hot and humid environments or when an animal is left in a parked car.

Symptoms of heatstroke in pets include excessive panting, drooling, rapid breathing, lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea and collapse. It is crucial to act quickly if you suspect your pet is suffering from heatstroke. Move them to a cool and shaded area, offer fresh water, and use cool (not cold) water or damp towels to gradually lower their body temperature.

Then take the pet directly to an emergency veterinary clinic. Heat stroke can be fatal and can come on very quickly, so it’s best not to take any chances.

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