National

Victoria City Council Hears Debate Over Horse-Drawn Carriage Tours

The Canadian Press, 25 Mar, 2016 12:47 PM

VICTORIA — Debate over horse-drawn carriage rides in downtown Victoria, B.C., is heating up.

The owner of Victoria Carriage Tours appeared at a city council meeting on Thursday to defend the industry after an animal rights group started an online petition looking to ban the rides.

Katarina Gallagher says she has was blindsided by the petition, which alleges there has been poor maintenance of equipment, reckless driving of the carriages and improper care of the horses.

Gallagher says the "unfounded" and "vague" accusations about inadequate care and reckless driving are baseless and constitute fear mongering.

More than 900 people have signed the petition, and several speakers aligned with animal rights group "Victoria Horse Alliance" addressed council Thursday, saying they support the ban.

There are currently two carriage companies in the city, Tally Ho Carriage Tours and Victoria Carriage Tours, that have a total of 52 horses and employ roughly 70 people.

Prev Next

MORE National ARTICLES

Firefighting Funds Depleted: Record Number Of Wildfires In National Parks

Wildfires scorched a record amount of Canada's national parks last year — the latest in a number of long, hot summers that have almost entirely depleted Parks Canada's firefighting reserve.

Firefighting Funds Depleted: Record Number Of Wildfires In National Parks

Premier Kathleen Wynne Says Ontario Is Preparing Protocols For Physician-Assisted Death

The top court is holding an oral hearing today on the Trudeau government's request for a six-month extension to deal with the issue.

Premier Kathleen Wynne Says Ontario Is Preparing Protocols For Physician-Assisted Death

Somali-Canadian Woman Fights Revocation Of Security Clearance That Cost Her Airline Job

Ayaan Farah, 31, says Ottawa unfairly revoked her Transportation Security Clearance a year ago, leading to her firing from her full-time job of eight years.

Somali-Canadian Woman Fights Revocation Of Security Clearance That Cost Her Airline Job

Justin Trudeau Makes The Tabloids For His Family Vacation On Small Caribbean Island

The visit to Nevis, a small island that is part of the twin-island Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis, was billed as a private family vacation, but it has become fodder for celebrity gossip website TMZ.

Justin Trudeau Makes The Tabloids For His Family Vacation On Small Caribbean Island

Government Pleads For More Time To Craft Assisted-Death Law

Robert Frater, counsel for the attorney general, said the federal government needs a six-month extended window to provide a comprehensive response to the judgment.

Government Pleads For More Time To Craft Assisted-Death Law

Vancouver Anti-Fur Protester Complains To Watchdog Over Police Warning Letter

An anti-fur activist has complained to British Columbia's police watchdog claiming Vancouver Police violated his rights by indefinitely banning him from visiting, or even walking past, a store where he regularly protests.