Juan Ameen
Animal lovers again insist on shelters for karozzini horses
Photo: Chris Sant Fournier
An animal welfare group and the Floriana local council hit out at the Transport Minister for failing to deliver on his commitment to build shelters for horse-drawn carriages.
At the moment, the horses, used to draw the traditional karozzini, waited for hours in the blistering heat without any form of protection, Animal Rights Group chair Myriam Kirmond said. The animals needed shelter that covered their entire bodies while their owners waited for business during the hot summer months. There was also need for drinking water and better hygiene.
When the cab drivers tried to move their horses to a shaded place, they were fined by wardens or Transport Malta officials, karozzin owner Kevin Debono said. “They are wiping us out with the amount of tickets they are issuing. We care for these animals more than ourselves but we can’t do anything,” he said.
Ms Kirmond called on Transport Minister Austin Gatt to keep his promise over the shelters. “He gave us a commitment last August to build the much-needed shelters in various places in Malta but the plans remain on paper,” she said.
Floriana mayor Nigel Holland echoed her appeal and said it was a shame the animals and their owners were not protected in any way from the heat even after all these years.
In an attempt to help the drivers, the council set up a number of bins at Valletta Waterfront where the owners could dump horse droppings, which can eventually be used as fertiliser.
But Mr Holland admitted that the council was limited in what it could offer the cabbies and pointed out that it was up to the government to provide the appropriate shelters. “We need to free them from these conditions and provide them with adequate facilities,” he said.
The lack of shelter for the horse-drawn cabs has been highlighted by animal welfare groups for the past 10 years.
Ms Kirmond said the welfare group would keep up the pressure on the government to solve the situation. “The issue is being bounced from the planning authority to Transport Malta and Dr Gatt did not live up to his commitment,” she said.
The welfare group has worked hard to raise awareness and last year invited two animal experts to look into the situation. They drew up a report which found most horses were “in good condition” and pointed out that the animals did not have adequate shade and shelter, water points and hygiene facilities at stands where they waited for custom or rested.
The first move to protect the animals from the summer sun came in 2005 when the government set up provisional shelters in St George’s Square, Valletta. These were criticised for being too few. The shelters were dismantled last August when horse-drawn cab drivers were stopped from entering the centre of Valletta so the area could be turned into a pedestrian zone as part of the government’s Valletta rehabilitation project.
Cab stands were temporarily relocated in various areas on the outskirts of the capital where there are no shelters yet. In fact, ever since the move, animal rights organisations have called on the government to provide shade and drinking water to the animals.
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DVella
Jul 23rd 2010, 14:22
These people should be obliged to put bibs to collect the droppings from their horses instead of making our capital city and its surroundings resemble an uncleaned stable with disgusting steaming horse turds all over the streets . . . not to mention the lakes of urine wherever they assemble.... Perhaps Government should clean up the mess and add the expenses incurred to their yearly licence fee.....! Then perhaps they'll learn to be civilised...!
Sylvia Zammit
Jul 15th 2010, 22:43
I think Mario Tabone's comment about providing umbrellas makes a lot of sense, At least it would be a start, and, hopefully, may not run into too much red tape!
joe falzon
Jul 15th 2010, 21:00
@ann Farrugia......You act?In what way, having a 'word 'tantrum' against animal lovers. What makes you think that we don't give? I sometimes donate food to the local SPCA and dish out the money to feed the local strays.........Another thing, these buggies could be looked upon as part of the local heritage and no big deal if the govt or local council can at least help out financially in protecting the well-being of these living thins
@ Mr Vella......I agree that the drivers should be responsible for cleaning up after the horses, and the same goes for dog-owners, and cats and the pigeons that poop and spread disease everywhere. However, you should be more respectful towards animals and animal lovers. A horse can't help it if he poops on the street, but some people are even worse when they write or speak poop..........By the way, how many of you readers feel that these drivers are abusing the animals and shouldn't help them out but then get all excited and run to the village race on a feast day to see the horses entertain them, even when they are in the sun, whipped and foaming?
DVella
Jul 15th 2010, 14:17
Fit those 'bibs' and stop making our Capital City and our smell like a disgusting manure heap . . . then MAYBE, we can talk!
DVella
Jul 15th 2010, 13:07
Animal Lovers . . . . pah!! Why don't these people start with insisting that the operators of the 'karozzini' carry out the necessary modifications and fit the bibs to collect the horse dung . . . it's been done in several European cities so what's so special about these guys??
I think before we start considering how these people exploit their animals and make them suffer so that they can make money (and then blame the government), most civilised people would clamour for them to stop making our capital city smell like an uncleaned stable with disgusting fresh steaming horse turds littering the noble city's streets . . . . and that's not even making a mention of the stomach churning stench of horse urine that now permanentl;y adorns the area around the old power station near the Cruise Liner Terminal . . . . !
Oh sorry I forgot . . . we owe them a living . . . and we are meant to stand by and put up with the stench of horse dung and urine in our streets . . . and we should foot the bill for a shelter . . . (!)
Anna Farrugia
Jul 15th 2010, 11:36
The animal lovers group or groups etc, well why don't you file in an application with MEPA and do some fund raising yourselves. Surely if you've got a mouth to talk and talk, you can use that to call the readers for some donations and build the horses a lovely Horse Mansion! Oh! by the way, I do love animals, but at least I don't talk, I act!
Robert Agius
Jul 15th 2010, 13:53
If you own a horse you need to take the responsibilities that go with it. THEY need to act.
Mario Tabone-Vassallo
Jul 15th 2010, 10:52
Mhux xoghol il-gvern jissussidja din l-intrapriza privata. Dmir tal-gvern ma jhallix mohqrija ta' l-annimali. Dan jista' jsehh billi biex ikollhom permess ihaddmu karozzin, jinhtiegu jarmaw umbrella kbira fuq iz-ziemel kif naghmlu meta mmorru l-bahar. Hekk l-annimal ikun imhares mix-xemx tisreg sew meta wieqaf u wkoll meta jkun jilheg igorr il-piz warajh u tiela xi tela'. Barra minn dan, il-gvern imissu jinsisti li z-zwiemel jilbsu 'hrieqi' kif jilbsu fil-pajjizi civilizzati kollha fl-Ewropa, biex ma jnittnux it-toroq