A group of activists, some of them representing Animal Liberation Malta (ALM), rallied at the Triton Fountain in Valletta today to protest against the use of horse-drawn carriages, known as karozzini.
Two horses collapsed in the space of a week, one of them dying, leading to public outrage directed at the conditions these animals are facing in the sweltering heat.
Activists held placards with messages calling for the banning if karozzini from Maltese roads.
"Have a heart don't take a ride", one of them read, a clear message to tourists.
When asked for comment, ALM representative Robert Xuereb stressed that horse-drawn carriages must eventually be replaced by other means to keep up the attraction for tourists. Focusing specifically on the horses, Xuereb stated that they "must be taken into a sanctuary", or "given to certain individuals who care for the horses".
One of the main issues raised by the Malta Horse Sanctuary, who spoke up against banning karozzini, was that the banning of this practice would lead to horses getting slaughtered or abandoned.
Agreeing with this, the position of ALM is that while it is true that there aren't enough sanctuaries today, steps should be taken to set up sanctuaries to gradually outlaw the practice of horse-drawn carriages.
"Having horses work in such conditions is not a compromise. This is animal abuse – plain and simple. Tradition is the word they use, and tradition is an excuse. If you are hurting others then it is time to stop. There was a time when we called slavery tradition, in Spain bullfighting is a tradition. "
"When traditions trample others' rights, then it is time to change them".
from The Malta Independent https://ift.tt/2B1Ofow
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