Move follows animal death earlier this week

A horse and carriage at Prince George Wharf on Thursday.

As of Friday, November 9, 2012

By SANCHESKA BROWN

Tribune Staff Reporter

sbrown@tribunemedia.net

THE GOVERNMENT is considering amending current legislation to include stricter guidelines for surrey drivers after a horse collapsed and died on Tuesday.

The 22-year-old female horse named, Bloody Mary, was drawing a yellow and blue surrey near the corner of Dowdswell and Christie Streets when it collapsed and died.

Dr Maurice Isaacs, director of the CABS (Hackney) Board, responsible for regulating the surrey industry, said the current legislation is out dated and needs to be brought up to date.

“The act is old and we are recommending that the government address some of the gaps. That is something that needs to be done soon,” he said.

“There needs to be stricter guidelines and stricter punishment for offenders. In particular we need to ensure that after the horses are inspected the information is taken to the relevant agencies and they do their part.”

As it relates to Bloody Mary, Dr Isaacs said the horse died from a heart attack.

He said: “We knew she had a heart condition and so she was supposed to be working just once a week and there were also conditions. This incident is unfortunate. We assumed it was safe for her to work in November because there is little sun. No one expected her to have a heart attack, but the horse was not mistreated and passed all the regular tests.”

Dr Isaacs said the horses and the carriages are inspected by road traffic inspectors the first Thursday of every month.

Since the story was published, readers voiced their concerns on The Tribune’s website.

One person said: “I am disgusted at the way the Bahamas treats its animals. This horse went to work day in and day out without a voice, entrusting in her owner to feed her adequately, water her adequately, and provide adequate rest and shelter. After all....it’s all she deserved for putting money in this man’s pocket, rum in his belly and food on his table. Disgusting!! This has to stop!! A disgrace and embarrassment to the country!!

Another reader said: “This horse should have not been working at all. There is no excuse! These horses are not properly cared for and lead miserable lives. The owners are senseless and cannot be trusted to look after their animals. The bottom line is profit.”

A woman, who recently visited the Bahamas, said her trip was overshadowed by how horrible Bahamians treat animals.

“This˘” she said, “is absolutely disgusting. I recently visited the Bahamas and while I love the islands what left the biggest impression was how horribly too many of the animals are treated. There is no excuse for cats, dogs and horses to suffer the way they do in what is supposes to be civilized society. I wish tourists would refuse to ride in carriages pulled by these poor horses.”

An animal rights activist group also started a petition called “Stop the abuse of carriage horses in the Bahamas”.

Up to press time, the petition has 886 signatures.

Susan 11 years, 5 months ago

I am so glad to see attention being drawn to this very important issue. I still don't believe that the poor horse who died was really being treated properly and I have little faith that new regulations will close the "gaps". I encourage everyone to sign the petition and for the government of the Bahamas to ban this outdated activity completely.

Ontario 11 years, 5 months ago

Let me get this straight . . .inspectors the first Thursday of every month. They know ahead of time when the inspectors will be checking the animals welfare ?? I have seen horses on main streets with there tongue hanging 6 inches, and their heads hanging down in shame.

positiveinput 11 years, 5 months ago

in shame or agony

bahamiandude242 11 years, 5 months ago

I don't see why people are surprised. This country is filled with stupid, greedy worldly people. You think they care about a horse? Lol all these clowns want to do is make money, and do it fast without putting in any work, the horses are inspected by road traffic, what the? Most people I know who work for road traffic are lousy and dimwitted, if they are inspecting these horses y'all want them dead. I ain't no expert but isn't a veterinary or some kind of doctor supposed to inspect the health of these animals? Not some lousy road traffic government employee who the driver can tip $20 to keep his/her mouth close about how badly he treats his animal?

Susan 11 years, 5 months ago

"THE GOVERNMENT is considering amending current legislation to include stricter guidelines for surrey drivers after a horse collapsed and died on Tuesday." Now that doesn't sound too promising does it? This would be the main reason the whole thing should no longer exist.

sixandchange 11 years, 5 months ago

Stricter guidelines? Please, what are the guidelines as they are? Does anyone really think the drivers are willing or even capable of following these laughable measures? Attempts of this sort are implemented by only the most facile minds in a feeble attempt to mitigate a situation that is clearly not going to change until the surrey horses are banned.

This is not unique unto the Bahamas and it will not be contained within the Bahamas. It has become the subject of international attention and will continue to gain momentum until the day these horses are freed from their despicable conditions. Congratulations Bahamian Officials you are now part of and little more than another enabler of animal abuse that will be condemned and endlessly documented until you finally make the right decision.

November 7, 2012 Nassau, Bahamas: To the horror of onlookers, an overworked horse with a known heart condition falls over dead in downtown Nassau. It is subsequently tied to the back of a truck and dragged out of the city streets.

August 16, 2012/New York, New York: A spooked horse took off into busy traffic, dumped the driver and two passengers, struck two cars, split the carriage in two, and ran for four blocks before being captured. The two passengers and the driver were treated for minor injuries. The horse, named Oreo, was tranquilized before being taken back to the stables.

July 21, 2012/Galveston, Texas: A man was killed and three others were hospitalized after the carriage in which they were riding was hit by a car. The horse’s leg was cut open, according to an eyewitness, and the animal was led away limping.

July 13, 2012/Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: A horse named Dutch, who was pulling a carriage, became startled and ran into an intersection, where two cars hit the carriage. The driver was thrown from the carriage and hospitalized. The horse took off down the street and sustained a leg injury.

July 10, 2012/Casper, Wyoming: Two horses were euthanized and three people sustained injuries when an SUV rear-ended a carriage. A witness said that the carriage and horses were thrown into the air.

June 7, 2012/New York, New York: A horse sustained a “nasty-looking gash” after an SUV collided with the carriage she was pulling. The horse’s head cracked the automobile’s windshield after the animal was sideswiped.

May 10, 2012/St. Louis, Missouri: A driver abandoned a carriage after a man allegedly hijacked it, and Harry, the horse being used by the St. Louis Carriage Company, took off running for 10 blocks before crashing. The assailant jumped out and punched and kicked Harry before passersby intervened.

December 18, 2011/New Orleans, Louisiana: A horse pulling a rickshaw collapsed and died on Bourbon Street.

December 16, 2011/Wichita Falls, Texas: Several people were injured, including two who were hospitalized, after falling out of a carriage that turned over. The riders had been viewing holiday lights.

sixandchange 11 years, 5 months ago

December 4, 2011/New York, New York: A horse pulling a carriage with four passengers near Central Park stumbled and fell to the street. A representative of the Horse and Carriage Association of New York downplayed the incident, saying the horse “caught [his] toe in the pavement, which is quite common.”

December 3, 2011/Hemet, California: After participating in a Christmas parade, a spooked horse took off running, rolling over the animal’s owner with the carriage and striking light poles and parked cars before collapsing. The owner was treated at the hospital.

November 4, 2011/New York, New York: A horse pulling a carriage collapsed in midtown.

October 28, 2011/New York, New York: A spooked horse charged into traffic and ran down the street before crashing. A witness reported that it was quiet and that it was unclear what had prompted the horse to bolt, saying, “The entire incident happened so fast and was extremely shocking. The horse took off at top speed and could not be stopped. He could have easily trampled a pedestrian.”

October 23, 2011/New York, New York: A horse pulling a carriage collapsed and died in the street.

September 25, 2011/Hampton Falls, New Hampshire: Two horses pulling a carriage carrying about a dozen passengers bolted and collided with another carriage. A woman who tried to stop the horses was trampled and airlifted to the hospital with life-threatening injuries. Another passenger was hospitalized with serious injuries, and four others suffered minor injuries.

August 17, 2011/Mackinac Island, Michigan: A witness reported seeing a horse collapse to the ground, have a seizure, and die. The carriage driver continued to pull on the reins in an effort to get the horse up while the animal was dying.

July 28, 2011/New York, New York: Three tourists and a carriage driver were hurt when a taxi rear-ended a horse-drawn carriage near Central Park. One passenger was thrown to the sidewalk, and the driver was in critical condition with a head injury. The horse was knocked to the ground, and the carriage fell on top of him.

July 27, 2011/Quinton, Oklahoma: Five people riding in a horse-drawn carriage died of massive injuries after a truck collided with the carriage.

July 3, 2011/Toronto, Ontario: While pulling a carriage, a pair of horses became spooked, bolted, and ran over the carriage’s owner before the carriage flipped over. The rig’s owner suffered broken ribs and was taken to the hospital, and two passengers were also taken to the hospital. One of the horses was injured.

March 20, 2011/Natchez, Mississippi: A horse- drawn carriage driver and several passengers sustained injuries when a car rear-ended the carriage, operated by Southern Carriage Tours. The driver was ejected and fell to the street, injuring his leg. The startled horse panicked and took off running. Some of the passengers suffered cuts from being thrown around in the carriage.

sixandchange 11 years, 5 months ago

February 12, 2011/Ottawa, Ontario: Four people, including a 3-year-old girl, were injured after they were hit by a horse running through a park. The horse had been giving rides at a winter carnival. The operator later found the horse lying on a sidewalk. The toddler and another bystander were taken to the hospital, and two others were treated at the scene.

November 3, 2010/New York, New York: A horse was hit by a city bus in midtown Manhattan during rush hour. Witnesses say the horse looked traumatized, but after the carriage driver exchanged words with the bus driver, the carriage continued on its way.

October 3, 2010/Palm Springs, California: A horse was injured after a car smashed into the carriage she was pulling.

July 31, 2010/Eureka, California: The driver and owner of Old Town Carriage Co. was hospitalized with serious injuries after the horse who was pulling the carriage became spooked—possibly by a passing skateboarder—and took off running. The carriage crashed into a parked car and a wooden post, tossing the driver to the ground. One passenger complained of leg pain, and the horse, Cinnamon, also suffered injuries.

July 4, 2010/Bellevue, Iowa: A woman was killed and multiple children were trampled and injured when two horses who were pulling a carriage in the Heritage Days parade became spooked and took off, dragging the carriage through crowds of people at a speed of up to 30 miles per hour. The woman was ejected from the vehicle.

May 31, 2010/Thunder Bay, Ontario: A 4-year- old girl was killed after a horse became startled and bolted while being petted by the child and other kindergartners, who were on a field trip. The wheel of the carriage went over the toddler’s body. Several other children were also injured.

May 11, 2010/New York, New York: Witnesses reported seeing a collision between a cab and a carriage.

May 1, 2010/New York, New York: Witnesses reported that a horse pulling a carriage became spooked and crashed near Central Park South after running against traffic and sideswiping several cars. The horse reportedly appeared to be injured, and several emergency vehicles responded to the scene.

April 19, 2010/Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Five people were injured—including one man whose ear was partially ripped off—and five horses were injured when a car crashed into a horse-drawn carriage, triggering a chain-reaction crash involving two other carriages.

April 16, 2010/Atlanta, Georgia: Four riders were seriously injured—one critically—when the carriage in which they were riding was totaled after a car ran into it.

sixandchange 11 years, 5 months ago

April 10, 2010/New Bern, North Carolina: At least three people were transported to the hospital after a car rear-ended a horse-drawn carriage that was being operated by Carolina Carriage Tours. The collision pushed the carriage into the horse, causing the horse to bolt. The horse was also injured.

February 13, 2010/Fort Worth, Texas: The driver of a horse-drawn carriage suffered a fractured eye socket, three broken bones in his back, a bruised lung, and a shoulder injury after his carriage was hit by a car in a hit-and-run collision.

January 23, 2010/Mesa, Arizona: A man was seriously injured and two horses were hurt after a barking dog startled four horses while they were pulling a carriage. The front two horses took off running, and the back two horses stumbled and were dragged along with the carriage approximately 75 feet down the street. The driver suffered serious road-rash injuries, some down to the bone. The back two horses also suffered road rash. A motorcycle driver was also injured when he had to lay down his motorcycle in an attempt to get out of the way of the out-of-control rig.

December 27, 2009/Canandaigua, New York: A horse was euthanized and four people were injured after a car hit a carriage from behind and all four passengers were ejected. Two were airlifted to a local hospital. The carriage was demolished.

December 27, 2009/Sacramento, California: A car struck a horse-drawn carriage from behind, upending the carriage and snapping it in half. The two riders were treated at a hospital after they and the driver were ejected from the carriage. The horse sustained leg injuries.

December 25, 2009/Covington, Ohio: A car crashed into a horse-drawn carriage, injuring the carriage driver and destroying the carriage. According to police, the carriage driver suffered a “fairly severe head injury” and was taken to the hospital. A passenger suffered minor injuries. This was the second carriage accident in Covington in one week.

December 23, 2009/Covington, Ohio: A horse who was pulling a carriage was startled and took off, flipping the carriage and ejecting the driver. The horse broke free and ran through the neighborhood before being recaptured.

December 15, 2009/Stanley, Virginia: Fourteen people on a holiday ride in a horse-drawn carriage were hurt when a car slammed into the carriage, ejecting the driver and causing the horses to run 100 yards before hitting an electric pole. All 14 people were taken to the hospital, including one who had to be airlifted.

December 6, 2009/Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: A horse who was pulling carriages for holiday rides was startled by a bus and took off down the street, hitting a parked car and injuring the driver, who was standing nearby.

sixandchange 11 years, 5 months ago

November 20, 2009/Beachwood, Ohio: A horse who was pulling a carriage was spooked by a high-school band and ran through a barricade and over a curb, colliding with two cars before breaking away from the carriage and taking off at a full gallop. The driver was injured after being pulled to the ground while trying to regain control.

October 8, 2009/Charleston, South Carolina: A horse pulling a carriage for Carolina Polo and Carriage Co. fell after his leg became caught in the carriage. The horse suffered abrasions but was put back to work the next day.

September 23, 2009/Chicago, Illinois: Two drivers who had worked for J.C. Cutters Horse Drawn Carriages were convicted of mistreating horses. Six horses were seized earlier in the year after animal-control officers repeatedly found horses who were coated with dirt and whose hooves were covered in manure as well as horses who were living in stalls in which manure was mixed with hay. The city had previously denied J.C. Cutters’ application for a 2009 license to conduct carriage rides.

September 19, 2009/New York, New York: A cab plowed into a horse-drawn carriage near Central Park. Both drivers were taken to the hospital.

August 29, 2009/Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: A horse was injured after crashing and falling to the ground. The carriage collided with a pole.

August 29, 2009/Québec, Canada: Three children were ejected from a runaway carriage and suffered minor injuries after a team of ponies panicked and took off down the street during a community parade. The cart hit a car, throwing the driver under the rig and severing his leg below the knee.

August 29, 2009/Salt Lake City, Utah: A horse who was pulling a carriage containing a family of seven became startled and ran down the street before being stopped. The driver exited the rig, but the horse became frightened again and took off, dragging the driver until he was forced to let go while the horse continued running. A police officer riding a bike attempted to intervene, but his bike became tangled with the carriage and he fell down while trying to stop the animal. The carriage came to a stop two blocks later when it hit a parked car. Both the driver and the police officer suffered minor injuries, and the carriage and the officer’s bike were both totaled.

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The government has to have a strict regulation to be able to prevent such incidents in future. There are veterinarian facilities available which offer emergency services as well, one such a reputed facility is http://www.animalhealthhospital.com">animalhealthhospital.com.

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