The usually thoughtful party for People, Animals and Nature (PAN) has submitted a bill to parliament that asks for horse-drawn carts to be banned from Portugal’s roads, thus risking the ire of the Roma community and human rights organisations.
Claiming that these carts are “not compatible with an evolved society,” the move is seen by Roma communities as discriminatory.
PAN claims that animal welfare is behind its move, as well as the safety of passengers, citing the frequency of accidents involving vehicles and horse-drawn carts.
PAN’s lone MP, André Silva, said the horses are often visibly under-nourished and many are abandoned when their useful working life is over.
Stating that tourists are often shocked to see animals pulling carts “in the 21st century,” Silva goes on to compare Portugal’s animal welfare laws to those of more enlightened nations, saying that Portugal’s image is at stake.
The PAN bill suggests the taxpayer should fund an incentive programme to support alternative transport for those who rely on horse-drawn carts to get about.
The bill submitted to parliament risks crossing the line of anti-discriminatory legislation with Roma families the main proponents of this form of transport. No mention is made of better animal-care education, State subsidised animal health care initiatives or mandatory visits by vets as alternatives to an outright ban on horse-drawn mobility.
Any ban will affect Roma families and other rural poor.
Portugal already has some laws covering the welfare and treatment of animals but, as has been seen in the Algarve region, local councils and policing authorities have been slow to use them.
The toughest legislation is for pet animals, with farm and transport animals excluded from the recetly enacted decree law.
Comments
Of course, your contributors are SO correct and right in that not only are current laws ignored, but also Orson Cart should qualify for a CO2 'credit'.
Can some joint counter-petition be mounted to enforce cattle/mule/horse-owners to give their animals water, shelter and proper nutrition?
I will definitely sign it.
How about it, our Star Campaigning Ed?
Me and many animal lovers The cruelty to these beautiful animals can be seen in many parts if Portugal
Banning them will only lead to more starving animals
The law needs to be upheld Complaints of ctuelty
Investigated A sanctuary for badly treated horses set up A youn foal died near my home The GNR did not help wnen we reported the starving animal roaming in the road Bike lanes for horses ?????
Is this about cruelty to the horse [which will not be alive at all without the possibility of usefulness] or about someone being annoyed with traffic delays in their air-conditioned car?
We still have a few old [Portuguese] folks who use their mules to work a small plot, and to pull the cart with produce to the market.
A motor vehicle capable of carrying the load would not be cost effective for the short distance a few times per year.
It's a dying piece of culture that should be supported, not banned.
No mention is made of better animal-care education, State subsidised animal health care initiatives or mandatory visits by vets as alternatives to an outright ban on horse-drawn mobility.
Portugal's problems across the board would be so much less if it genuinely was an 'evolved society'. Not just parodying one!