PETA Urges Canterbury City Council to Say ‘Neigh’ to Horse-Drawn Carriages

19.02.26

PETA Urges Canterbury City Council to Say ‘Neigh’ to Horse-Drawn Carriages

Canterbury, Kent – After hearing that Perfect Pleasure Horse Drawn Carriages has applied for a carriage license to operate cruel horse-and-cart rides in Canterbury, PETA has launched a petition urging the council to reject the application.

In the petition, the animal protection group points out that horse-drawn carriages force sensitive horses to pull heavy loads through loud, busy traffic on hard surfaces, often for long hours without any rest. This constant strain contributes to chronic injuries like lameness and hoof deterioration, and in some cases, horses have collapsed on the roadside as a result of being overworked, while others have been seriously injured after becoming spooked and bolting into traffic.

“Cities around the world have moved away from horse-drawn carriages, with some, like Brussels, replacing them with electric ‘horse-less’ carriages that let visitors explore without putting horses at risk,” says PETA’s Senior Campaigns Manager, Kate Werner. “PETA urges Canterbury City Council to back forward-looking alternatives like these, rather than issuing a licence for what is an exploitative experience for animals.”

PETA – whose motto reads in part that animals are not ours to abuse in any way – notes that horse-drawn carriages are dangerous to riders, pedestrians, and motorists too. Because horses are extremely sensitive animals, they can become easily spooked, causing them to buck or flee. In 2024, a man in a horse-drawn carriage was seriously injured after a collision with a vehicle in Leicestershire.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.uk or follow PETA on X, Facebook, or Instagram.

Contact:

Jennifer White +44 (0) 20 7837 6327; [email protected]

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