Ban Horse Drawn Carriages in Kansas City

Ban Horse Drawn Carriages in Kansas City

Started
December 4, 2016
Petition to
Mayor of Kansas City Mayor Sly James and 5 others
Petition Closed
This petition had 19,693 supporters

Why this petition matters

Started by Animal Action of Kansas City

Two states with one goal; working together to bring a positive change to Kansas City.

Last night at about 8:00 pm, December 3, 2016, bystanders looked on in horror as a carriage horse sped through the streets of the Country Club Plaza at Ward Parkway and Wornall Road in Kansas City, Missouri, pulling three terrified passengers. The horse was spooked in the high-density noisy traffic the Plaza is known for. This poor terrified horse crashed into a wall and the driver of the carriage flew over the wall, down the hill and into Brush Creek below, as bystanders stood helpless. All three people in the carriage were injured and transported to the hospital.  The owners of the injured horse called for a trailer to take it away for treatment.  People on the Plaza described the initial scene as mayhem.


Horse drawn carriage accidents aren’t isolated events. From 2014 to present, over 40 carriage incidents involving carriage animals and passengers have made headline news in the United States.  Tourists are blissfully unaware of the dangers associated with taking a ride on a horse-led wagon through busy city streets. Carriage rides in densely populated cities are cruel and put both the horse and passenger’s safety at risk.


Please join me in asking Kansas City to follow in the footsteps of cities like Biloxi, MS, Las Vegas and Reno, NV, Santa Fe, NM, Camden, NJ, Palm Beach, Key West and Panama City Beach, FL, and ban horse-drawn carriages.

 
Horses are afforded no federal protections under the Animal Welfare Act. It is up to local governments to create laws that protect them. Without protections, carriage horses are at the mercy of their owners.


Horse-drawn carriages are inherently inhumane. Carriage horses are not mentally or physically capable of being surrounded by vehicle traffic and noxious fumes. It is not safe for horses, their passengers, motorists or pedestrians.

 
If safety issues and cruel working conditions are not enough to cause concern, one might take concern with the treatment of retired carriage horses. Due to costs associated with providing care to a horse that can no longer work, “retired” horses are often sold by the pound to kill buyers. Once sold, these horses will be butchered and shipped overseas. These majestic horses are abused till their dying day.

 
Join us in asking Mayor Sly James, the owners and operators of the Country Club Plaza, and Kansas City council members Teresa Loar and Jolie Justus to end this unnecessary and cruel practice. Sign our petition calling for a ban horse drawn carriages in Kansas City, MO.

We are excited about our solidarity for the horses! THANK YOU for caring!

Petition Closed

This petition had 19,693 supporters

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Decision Makers

  • Mayor Sly JamesMayor of Kansas City
  • Plaza Customer ServiceCountry Club Plaza
  • Glenda ColeTaubman Centers
  • Chris PerryMacerich
  • Jolie Justus4th District Councilwoman