- A recent report from Vancouver park board staff includes a consideration for removing “animal-powered transportation” from Stanley Park.
- For years, the VHS has called for the removal of horse-drawn carriages from the park.
- The use of carriages in crowded urban environments poses a risk to horses and the public. Horses endure regular exposure to traffic, noise and pollution; long hours of standing and walking on hard surfaces; and hard labour under sometimes extreme weather conditions.
- Other jurisdictions, such as the City of Montreal, have banned horse-drawn carriages due to animal welfare concerns and incidents.
Read media coverage on the report and the VHS’s campaign below. Stay tuned for updates!
“Vancouver park board commissioners will be asked to weigh up dozens of possible options to reduce the number of cars entering Stanley Park each year.”
“The document includes an option for removing ‘animal-powered transportation’ in the park.”
“The Vancouver Humane Society has a campaign to have the Stanley Park Horse-Drawn Tours business removed from the park.”
“‘Being surrounded by motor vehicle traffic forces horses to inhale toxic exhaust and causes them mental distress, which can make the animals unpredictable and potentially dangerous to park pedestrians, cyclists and motor vehicles,’ the society states.”