The 25 licensed coachmen and the Malaga City Council, led by Mayor Francisco de la Torre, have agreed to cease providing horse-drawn carriage services to tourists. For many years, the history of Malaga has been linked to horse-drawn carriages.
Why Is Malaga Banning Horse Carriages?
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In Spain’s southern port of Malaga, a postcard scene shows two tourists admiring the glittering Mediterranean Sea from their horse-drawn carriage on the coastal promenade. This scene won’t be playing out for too long.
Following years of industry criticism, the city is protecting the animals by outlawing horse-drawn carriages from its streets this year. Visitors were disappointed by this decision of the Spanish city following other popular tourist destinations like Rome and Chicago. Horse-drawn carriages for visitors are criticised by animal rights activists for the stress they place on the animals, particularly in the sweltering summer months. Concordia Marquez, the founder of a neighbouring sanctuary named ‘Todos los Caballos del Mundo’ (All the Horses in the World), stated that summer temperatures in Malaga sometimes reach 45 degrees.
Both the journey to their destination and the return trip to their workplace need horses and horse-drawn carriages to travel a considerable distance. The rising temperatures make it inhumane for these animals to continue serving the tourists like they used to.
Urban Growth, Too, Plays A Role In The Decision
Malaga City Hall wants to move the ban ahead to this year after announcing in 2015 that it intended to ban horse-drawn carriages from the city’s streets by 2035. To come to an agreement, officials are negotiating with the owners of the final 25 licenses. Because of urbanisation and increased construction, there remains little space for horses to circulate. The horses would earlier have more space, said Malaga’s city councillor for mobility.
Almost nothing remains after the construction that has been going on for the past 20 years. Other than the park and a little portion of the promenade.
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As part of celebrations and customs like Malaga’s yearly fair in August, horse-drawn carriages will continue to be permitted. The tourist horse-drawn carriage, which you pay for like a street taxi, will not be legal anymore.
Cover Image Credits: Wikimedia Commons
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