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Urgent Action Needed! Tell Canterbury City Council to Refuse Horse-Drawn Carriages

A company named Perfect Pleasure Horse Drawn Carriages has applied for a carriage license to operate horse-and-cart rides in Canterbury. Sign our petition telling the council to refuse this cruel tourist trap.

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Horses Are Individuals

Horse carriages are cruel and exploitative. Sensitive horses are forced to pull heavy carts for hours in heavy traffic, often with minimal or no rest, until they are so exhausted that some collapse. Horses are someone, not something. They want to be free just like us – not forced to cart humans all day. 

Injuries, Illnesses, and Death

Horses may develop respiratory illnesses due to pulling carriages on busy, polluted roads. They can also suffer debilitating leg problems from walking on hard surfaces. Lameness, joint damage, and tendon injuries are common in horses used for carriage rides.

Horses have been known to die while pulling carts. In August 2025, a horse named Lady collapsed and died attached to a carriage on a New York City street. Another horse also recently collapsed while carrying tourists in Dublin.

Horse Carts Are Dangerous for Humans, Too

As prey animals, horses are extremely sensitive to loud noises; they panic and sometimes even bolt at the sound of horns and other traffic. This means that horses could cause collisions or even trample pedestrians. In 2024, a man in a horse-drawn carriage was seriously injured after a collision with a vehicle in Leicestershire. In New South Wales, a spooked horse threw two teenagers from a carriage and ploughed into a crowd, injuring two more people. 

Sign the Petition Now

Many cities in the world – including Paris, Rome, Toronto, and Las Vegas – have taken the progressive step to ban or restrict horse-drawn carriages. Brussels has even replaced them with innovative, animal-free electric carts. Please tell Canterbury City Council to do the right thing and never allow them to operate in the city.

The council is due to make a decision on the license soon – so action must be taken as quickly as possible. Please sign the petition today and urge the council to refuse. 

Please use your full name and email. Invalid entries will be removed from the petition. Please note that the council may publish your name along with comments related to this application.

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Canterbury City Council: Refuse Horse-Drawn Carriages!

UN MIS Petition Description Text - *Important Note* You must UNLINK this shared library component before making page-specific customizations.

Dear Mr Baldock,

We, the undersigned wish to oppose an application for horse-drawn carriages coming to Canterbury, which we understand is currently awaiting a decision from the council to operate. We urge you to refuse any such application. 

Horse-drawn carriages force sensitive horses to pull heavy loads through busy traffic on hard surfaces, often for long hours without any rest. This constant strain contributes to lameness and hoof deterioration, and in some cases, animals have died while being forced to pull heavy carriages. In August 2025, a horse named Lady collapsed and died attached to a carriage on a New York City street. Another horse also recently collapsed while carrying tourists in Dublin. 

Horses are naturally skittish animals – they can become easily spooked, leading to serious incidents. In 2024, a man in a horse-drawn carriage was seriously injured after a collision with a vehicle in Leicestershire. Meanwhile, in New South Wales, a horse bolted, throwing two teenagers from a carriage and ploughing into a crowd, injuring two more people. 

Many cities around the world – including Paris, Rome, Toronto, and Las Vegas – have taken the progressive step to ban horse-drawn carriages. Will Canterbury please join them?

After Brussels banned horse-drawn carriages, the city introduced electric horseless carriages that allow tourists to explore the city, while leaving horses in peace. Please support modern initiatives like this instead of granting a license for an exploitative animal experience on council land.

Sincerely,
 

Sign the Petition

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