One of the working horses on the island of Corfu, a carriage horse, collapsed and died probably due to heat, dehydration and exhaustion in the middle of the island’s capital, opposite of Orfeas cinema, early Thursday afternoon.
According to reports, the carriage owner and his colleagues rushed to help with no effect. The horse was dying right in front of their eyes as they pulled it here and there. [there is a video, but too brutal and heartbreaking to post it here.]
The body of the poor animal was just pushed on the pavement, covered with a cloth and left there.
Police and the Fire Service rushed to the spot.
According to some posts, the carriage was empty of tourists.
The Panhellenic Equine Welfare Society Ippothesis called on the Prime Minister and the ministers in charge of the animals welfare to immediately order an autopsy to determine the causes of the death of the horse and urges the introduction of legislation to protect equines.
Έσερνε άμαξα. Ποιοι αναίσθητοι χρησιμοποιούν άμαξα στο λιοπύρι; καπου έλεος @kmitsotakis @SKyriakidesEU @l_avgenakis @nkerameus pic.twitter.com/A45nw1QyHl
— ippothesis (@ippothesisGR) July 6, 2023
Local animal welfare society “I adopt” posted on FB that the horse died at 2 o’ clock Thursday and lashed out at carriage owners who sacrifice the life of a horse for the sake of tourists’ euros.
According to daily ethnos.gr, authorities have given a directive to carriage drivers, to implement animal welfare legislation.
The directive states that on hot summer days, carriages are not allowed to run between 1pm and 5pm and, under no circumstances , with temperatures starting from 35 degrees Celsius and onward. During those hours, the animals should not be on their route, but should rest in shady and cool places.
The police have launched a preliminary investigation into the incident and, once again, the debate has opened on whether it is right to allow the exploitation of horses to pull tourist carriages.
Angry Greeks call on social media to finally end the practice of horses and donkeys working for the sake of tourists in the middle of the hot summer season in particular and all over the year in general.
Some call on tourists to boycott taking a ride with a horse carriage.
PS a horse collapses and dies for no reason? probably it felt victim to lack of medical or other care.
So sad to see!! Horses dont belong on paved roads in a city with traffic, it makes them totally stressed out! I just cant understand people who pays for a ride in the carriage, it is so wrong for the poor horse. They get damages to their hooves because of the hard streets and seldom get the rest they need between the rides, not to mention water and food!
What a shame!!!! Can’t these tourists walk and see the city or take a tourist bus? Here in Chania they also have these poor animals out in the sun, never see them with a bucket of water or food. These rides should be banned, these tourists can find other ways to amuse themselves.
They should stop this torture for all horse and carriage rides in Greece. In Chania where I live, the rides go on all day and evening however hot it is. It is cruel and I am shocked that so many people go on these rides.