The elimination of horse-drawn carriages has sparked mixed reactions around the world, while animal rights groups welcomed the decision as a step forward in animal protection. File Photo by David Mareuiil/EPA/Pool
The Colombian city of Cartagena de Indias has put an end to one of its most iconic tourist images by permanently eliminating horse-drawn carriages in the historic center and the walled city.
The measure, announced by the city government, aims to eradicate the use of animals in tourism activities and move toward a more sustainable mobility model aligned with animal welfare standards, local outlet RCC Radio reported.
Mayor Dumek Turbay said the ban will apply without exceptions and was to officially begin Monday with the launch of a new electric tourist transport system in the city’s busiest tourist areas.
“Under no circumstances will we allow any form of animal abuse,” Turbay said on social media in support of the measure.
Local authorities said the decision follows years of complaints from animal rights groups, which warned about the impact of heat, long working hours and labor conditions for horses on the cobblestone streets of the historic district.
As an alternative, the municipal government announced the rollout of an initial fleet of 62 electric carriages regulated by the city, which will provide the same tourist service without using animals.
The new system will be subject to controls to prevent informal operations, in an effort to organize the tourist offer and modernize the service.
The electric carriages will be operated by the same drivers who for decades traveled through the historic center with horses. The total investment in the project is $1.7 million.
The elimination of horse-drawn carriages has sparked mixed reactions, while animal rights groups welcomed the decision as a step forward in animal protection and in the city’s international image, carriage drivers expressed concern about the economic impact of the measure and called for stronger guarantees in job transition and compensation processes.
On Monday, owners of horse-drawn carriages staged a march in Cartagena’s Historic Center to show their opposition to parts of the transition process toward electric vehicles.
Carriage drivers have voiced their disagreement with the proposal, El Universal reported, arguing that they would be required to hand over their carriages without becoming owners of the new vehicles, which they say could limit their future job and economic security.
Cartagena joins a trend seen in other tourist cities in the region and around the world that have begun to restrict or ban the use of animals in commercial activities.
For the local administration, the goal is to reconcile the preservation of historic heritage with more responsible tourism in a city that receives millions of visitors each year and faces growing pressure on its urban space and development model.
