Call for Adequate structures for Cab-Horses

The undersigned organizations are hereby joining forces to voice their common concerns regarding the rights and welfare of cab-horses.

Another summer has arrived and yet an issue which many animal rights organizations have been pushing forth for years has unfortunately not improved. Cab horses still remain without adequate shelter, in a way that they must spend a whole day in the scorching sun, without any form of shade.

Whilst welcoming that the Animal Welfare Directorate is taking some action over the welfare of cab horses, the undersigned organizations feel that the latest decision which calls for the covering of cab horses with a protective cloth is far from satisfactory and is surely not an ideal solution to ensure and safeguard in the long-term the well-being and welfare of cab horses.

The undersigned organizations sustain that; “Although the Animal Welfare Act puts the onus of the animal’s well-being on the owner such that cab owners may face a fine for not complying with such an obligation, public authorities can and must also play a very important role to protect and safeguard the rights and welfare of these animals.”

It is highly important that a permanent solution is implemented through the allocation of adequate shelters which have proper hygiene facilities including a clean water source. It is also important that the structures that are set up are spacious enough to accommodate both the horses and the cab so as to avoid situations where the horses still end up in the sun.

The organisations stated that; “It is truly shameful for Malta that whilst promoting cabs horses as a tourist attraction, it is at the same time also exhibiting the lack of animal rights and welfare that still exist in this island.”

“As a result, we are kindly requesting that a concrete and permanent solution is found to address this issue of animal cruelty once and for all. We cannot understand why such a simple and straightforward decision is taking whole years to be adequately addressed and why year after year, the situation has still not improved. The latest decision to cover cab horses with some form of clothing is neither practical nor ideal, and it surely does not end this form of animal cruelty.”

The organisations are Animal Rights Group, Moviment Graffitti, Island Sanctuary, Greenhouse, SOS Animals Malta, National Cat Society, International Animal Rescue, St Francis of Assisi Foundation, Street Cat Rescue, Stray Animal Support Group, Share Malta, Noah’s Arc, Abandoned Animals Association, Cetfree, Alternattiva Demokratika Zaghzagh, Nature Trust, Ananda Marga, Centru Tbexbix, SPCA-Gozo, SPCA-Malta.

Times of Malta: http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20090827/local/adequate-structures-for-cab-horses-requested

MaltaMedia: http://www.maltamediaonline.com/?p=13026