MONTREAL – Two carriage horses, Blackjack and Captain Bob, have been rescued by the Montreal SPCA after the driver apparently abused the animals.
Last Sunday, the SPCA received a call from police requesting assistance with a case of alleged cruelty towards Blackjack, a carriage horse in Griffintown, the district of Montreal where the historic and controversial Horse Palace is located.
The Griffintown Horse Palace is a stable for carriage (or calèche) horses that dates back to around 1860.
The land is owned by former carriage driver Leo Leonard, also known as Clawhammer Jack, but since he retired in 2011, a local foundation has been trying to save the stables from being sold and turned into condos.
According to witnesses, the horse collapsed on the way back to the stables. The driver of the carriage apparently kicked the horse once it was on the ground.
The SPCA arrived on the scene and immediately contacted an equine veterinarian to examine and attend to the horse’s injuries.
“This incident draws attention to the deplorable work and living conditions for carriage horses in the city of Montreal,” said the SPCA in a statement. “Something the general public is not necessarily aware of.”
“These horses are often forced to work nine or more hours per day, seven days a week,” said Alanna Devine, the Director of Animal Advocacy at Montreal’s SPCA.
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“They are subject to potential collisions with traffic, loud noises that can cause spooking, extreme temperatures and years of walking on unnaturally hard surfaces which often causes lameness.”
“When they are not working, are tied in stalls where they have no opportunity to move around freely or engage in any other natural behaviours and that most of the horses when they can no longer be used to pull carriages will be sent to auction or to slaughter.
The horse that collapsed on Sunday was given to the Montreal SPCA by its owner, along with Captain Bob, another horse that the owner no longer wished to keep.
The two horses have been moved to a foster home where they will be living a very different sort of life – spending time outdoors, socializing with other horses and receiving the necessary care and attention.
Once the animals have fully recovered, the SPCA will be looking for permanent adoptive homes for both horses.
The organization will also continue investigating what caused the horse to collapse, as well as the allegations of animal cruelty against the carriage driver.
The SPCA hopes that the unfortunate incident may draw attention to the living conditions of carriage horses and say it’s time for Montreal officials – and Montrealers – to take a closer look at the horse-and-carriage industry and at the working and living conditions of these animals.
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