SPCA calls for gradual 'phase-out' of Montreal's calche industry

Montreal's SPCA says gradually shutting down the city's horse-drawn carriage industry is a preferable approach to a moratorium like the one the City of Montrealsuddenly imposed last week.

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The city's one-year moratoriumwas temporarily suspended by a Quebec Superior Court judge Wednesday afternoon barely 24hours after it came into effect.

Justice Kirkland Casgrain granted a nine-day injunction against the moratorium, saying the city had exceeded its authority by imposing it.

Mayor Denis Coderresaidhis administration would not fight to reverse thedecisionbutvowed to introduce a new policy for horse-drawn carriages in the city instead.

Coderresaidhis administration's concerns forpublic safety and the treatment of horses remain.

"I won't let the situation remain as is we need a horse policy in Montreal," he said.

SPCAwantseventualtotal ban

While disappointed with the moratorium's quick demise, Sophie Gaillard, a lawyer with the Montreal SPCA's animal advocacy department, told CBC Montreal's Daybreakshe welcomes Coderre'sstatedconcerns about the calche industry.

"We know that this issue is still being taken seriously by the mayor, and he still intends to act on it," she said.

Gaillard said the SPCA is in favourof a more gradual approach that wouldultimatelyend the use of horse-drawn carriages in the city.

"A phase-out is perhaps the best way to handle this issue. It will allow time for the horses to be placed into retirement homes and allow the calche drivers time to reorient themselves in terms of their career," she said.

Theanti-calchedefence coalition, a grassroots group that has long called for an outright ban on the horse-drawn carriages,wantsCoderreto implement "tighter regulations" for drivers as long ascarriages are still allowed in the streets.

"This needs to be shut down," MirellaColalillosaid. "We can't allow this to continue."

"These horses cannot continue to live this way it's too sad, even just to think about it."

'They are not happy horses'

In a statement released Wednesday, the Montreal SPCAoutlined its concerns for the treatment of the horses working in the calche industry.

"Under constant threat of potential collisions with vehicles, subjected to extreme temperatures, pollution, and forced to walk for hours on abnormally hard surfaces, these animals often suffer from respiratory problems, lameness and other health problems," the statement reads.

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"Not the mention the psychological suffering endured by the horses due to their inability to engage in natural behaviours such as socializing with other horses, moving about freely and grazing," it continued.

Colalillo echoed the SPCA'sconcerns, saying that the coalition plans to release a report next week into the alleged mistreatment of the horses.

"You don't need to go close," Colalillosaid."You can see from far away that they are not well treated, they are not well groomed and they are not happy horses."

Calche industry representativeshaverebuffed such concerns, saying their horses are inspected on a regular basisby veterinarians and the animals enjoy the work they do.