Starting From Today Till August, Horse-Drawn Carriages Cannot Work Between 1pm And 4pm In Malta
Starting from today, 1st July, until 31st August, horse-drawn carriages (karozzini) cannot be used on any roads between the hours of 1pm and 4pm every day.
The rule comes into effect as temperatures soar across the island, with drivers even reportedly fainting due to the heat, and after a series of horse-related accidents – and even horse deaths – a few years back.
It’s not just horse-drawn carriages – horse training on the roads cannot occur either in those same hours.
And when a horse isn’t working, it must be kept in the shade under a horse shelter and provided with water.
Animal activist Moira Delia urged people to report anyone breaking these rules.
“If you see with your own eyes horses working in the street, take some footage of the number plate and report it to authorities, local police and Animal Welfare,” she said.
The rules came into place in 2019 after a karozzin horse from an apparent heart attack in 2018, with then Parliamentary Secretary for Animal Rights Clint Camilleri speaking out after Gringu, an 11-year-old male, collapsed and died in the middle of Triq San Franġisk, Floriana, near Boffa Hospital.
“I am saddened by the incident and I have instructed the Animal Welfare Department’s vets and officials to determine the exact cause of the horse’s death,” Camilleri said. “I will monitor this situation closely to holistically reduce such incidents as much as possible. We need to revise the laws regulating karozzini.”
If you’d like to report an incident of abuse, you can contact Animal Welfare by calling their 24/7 service on 1717.
What do you make of these rules?
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