For many, horse-drawn carriages conjure up images of fairy-tale romances. Some think of the beloved Disney classic Cinderella, and some may even have their own fond memories of celebrating their engagement or wedding anniversary with a scenic evening ride around the downtown streets. Now, I want to implore you to envision something entirely different, and far less idyllic. Picture a group of horses crowded into a cramped pen, far too small for the number of animals it contains. They have no room to run. There is no grass on the ground, but only dirt, waste matter, filthy clumps of hay and pieces of garbage left by passing pedestrians. This pen is not located in the country, but rather, in a rotting, industrial section of Cincinnati’s West End. Because the conditions in which these animals are kept are so visibly deplorable, the owners have plastered blue tarps around the perimeters of the enclosure, so that people don’t realize there are live horses inside.

The only time the horses are allowed to leave this wretched excuse of a habitat is when they are put to work pulling carriages on the street. Unprotected from the elements, they work out in the freezing cold and in the sweltering heat, lugging carriages that weigh between 1500 and 1800 lbs. Working horses to the point of utter exhaustion is pretty standard for carriage owners, as in recent years, there have been numerous cases across the US of carriage horses collapsing in the street. In order to keep the horses from thrashing around too much, their harnesses and bridles are fixed so painfully tight that they can barely move their heads. Many animal welfare groups have collected photo documentation of carriage horses in the US showing severe scarring on their faces, left by these excruciating constraints.

As the Humane Society of United States points out, horses are prey animals by nature, and have a highly developed flight drive that is easily triggered when they are startled by an unexpected or threatening stimulus. This reaction can happen to even the best-trained and well-mannered horses, and is often the cause of accidents for horse-drawn carriages. In the year 2014, there were at least 24 reported traffic accidents in the US that resulted from horse drawn carriages. Two of these were in Cincinnati, with one particularly bad crash resulting in a motorist nearly being thrown from the Taylor-Southgate bridge.

If horses are lucky enough to survive their stints pulling carriages, they are still destined to die a brutal, premature death. It is industry standard for carriage horses to be sold to slaughter once they are retired, and most wind up as dog kibble, as feed for zoo animals, or are shipped overseas to be consumed by humans.

This is not a pretty picture, but tragically, the suffering of these animals is an undeniable reality. The idea that horse-drawn carriages are romantic and innocuous, on the other hand, is sheer fantasy. It is time that residents of Cincinnati quit living in this dangerous fantasy, and acknowledge the blatant animal abuse occurring right under their noses.

If we can persuade the members of Cincinnati City Council to vote on the matter, we can get an ordinance passed which will officially ban the operation of horse drawn carriages within city limits. By signing this petition, you will be showing our elected officials that you care about the wellbeing of horses, and that the residents of Cincinnati are too good to allow such a reprehensible industry to exist in our community. Other American cities, such as Salt Lake City, UT, Camden, NJ, Biloxi, MI, and numerous municipalities in Florida have successfully banned horse drawn carriages through ordinances like the one we’re proposing. Cities such as Philadelphia and New York are currently engaged in heated battles over the issue, as well. Let’s show the country that Cincinnati is progressive enough to stand up to animal cruelty.

Thank you.