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

Federal Help For Bombardier Pitched By Premiers Couillard And Wynne

The premiers of Canada's two most populous provinces have joined forces to push for federal help for Bombardier's CSeries aircraft.

Federal Help For Bombardier Pitched By Premiers Couillard And Wynne

Vancouver Police Say Suspicious Device Located In Downtown Vehicle Not Explosive

Police had asked the public to stay away from a downtown area that was blocked to traffic

Vancouver Police Say Suspicious Device Located In Downtown Vehicle Not Explosive

Calgary Woman Carries Out Doctor-Assisted Death In British Columbia

The woman, who cannot be identified because of a court-ordered publication ban, died on Monday with her family at her side

Calgary Woman Carries Out Doctor-Assisted Death In British Columbia

Electric Cars In B.C. To Get HOV Green Light, Bypass Occupancy Requirements

Drivers who go electric in British Columbia are about to get the green light to travel the province's high occupancy vehicle lanes passenger free.

Electric Cars In B.C. To Get HOV Green Light, Bypass Occupancy Requirements

Ontario Man, 3 Foreign Nationals Arrested In Attempted Smuggling Into Canada

A Cornwall, Ont., man and three foreign nationals have been arrested in what border officials say was an attempt to smuggle people from the United States into Canada.

Ontario Man, 3 Foreign Nationals Arrested In Attempted Smuggling Into Canada

Feds Headed For $150 Billion In Deficits Over Next 5 Years: TD Bank Forecast

An analysis by one of Canada's biggest banks says the federal government is on track to run $150 billion in budgetary deficits over the next five years.