Near disaster in park as frightened horses bolt
VHS today called for an end to horse-drawn carriage rides in Stanley Park after television news broadcast disturbing video of a near disaster in the park today.
The video shows frightened horses bolting from their route in the park with a carriage full of panicking passengers, hitting a park bench and racing along the edge of the seawall before they were finally brought under control. The driver was reportedly thrown from the carriage and the footage shows terrified passengers jumping and falling on to the pavement.
VHS has issued a news release calling for a ban on carriage horses in the park. The society has always opposed carriage horse rides in urban areas because of the dangers of the horses’ close proximity to traffic, the exposure to noise and pollution and long hours standing in all weather conditions.
For more information see our full position statement on horse-drawn carriages.
7 replies on “VHS calls for end to horse-drawn carriages in Stanley Park”
Please stop abusing animals
I agree I feel sick every time I see those poor horses being made to go in traffic pulling those carts while cars drive past them. All in the name of greed.
honestly you guys sound so biased its not funny. Just because some animals work for a living, doesn’t mean its cruel. my grandfather was a horsemaster, who trained and worked draft horses for 50 yrs. theres absolutely no shame in working animals. they are treated better than many pets.
I agree with you, Carol. For thousands of years, man and horse have had a working relationship. People who think horses should not work are being unrealistic. It costs a lot to feed and care for a horse so in most societies, horses that can no longer work are knackered.
Lots of cities are getting rid of horse drawn carriages. Now we know it’s not good for the horses it’s time has ended.
It definitely needs an action. A campaign to stop abusing animals in public places.
Yes definitely bias, 37 years with NO accidents, & the cause of it obnoxious protesters and cabbie, I feel The Vancouver Humane Society like ,many Vancouver residents are a bunch of whiners and focus on pathetically unimportant things but in the same breath same City where people camp out for a week in a parking lot to buy a 5K bottle booze … a laughing stock like your hockey team.