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Mayor to require mandatory vet checks after horse falls in downtown Montreal

WATCH: Animal rights activists are furious after a horse slipped on a metal plate in downtown Montreal. Global’s Billy Shields reports.

MONTREAL – Mayor Denis Coderre is requiring mandatory veterinary check-ups after a horse slipped and fell on a metal plate in downtown Montreal.

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It was a troubling sight that has reignited the debate over whether horse-drawn carriages should be legal in Montreal.

Tara Schulz, who manages a store in Brossard, saw the incident as she was stuck in rush-hour traffic Tuesday afternoon near the corner of Peel street and Notre-Dame street Ouest.

Traffic was jammed and there were four policemen there, she said.

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WATCH: Vet checks for all horses

When she got closer, Schulz saw that a horse had fallen on a metal plate on the road.

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“The horse was struggling to stand up,” she told Global News.

She said she was also incensed that the horse was not only made to trot on a metal plate, but also in heat that exceeded 30 degrees.

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Schulz immediately shared the photos on the Anti-Caleche Defense Coalition Facebook page.

As the tourist season moves into full-swing, horse-drawn carriages are being used often in Old Montreal.

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But animal rights activists have long insisted the practice should be stopped because it’s cruel to the horses and constitutes abuse.

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