SC Rejects Case Against Ban On Horse-Drawn Carriages In Mumbai

The Supreme court on Monday has rejected an appeal filed by PETA against Bombay high court order. Earlier the Bombay high court had dismissed the plea by PETA against ban imposed on horse-drawn Victoria carriages.

The Bombay High Court on June 8, 2015 ruled using Victoria’s carriages for “joyrides” is illegal in Mumbai. The court therefore maintained that no stables for horses in Mumbai holds a license under the section 394 of Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act, 1888.

While dismissing a petition filed by horse owners on April 3, 2017, the Bombay High Court earlier repeated its decision. On July 7, 2017, the Bombay High Court accepted the Maharashtra’s plan of rehabilitation for owners & drivers of horse-drawn carriages.

Arunima Kedia (PETA India’s senior legal counsel) stated that “The mechanical e-carriages are now used in Mumbai rather than the horse-drawn carriages which relieved animals suffering that are now safer for the roads.” “Old habits die for some, but most of the tourists & drivers prefer to go with e-carriages than those of the unhappy horses are forced to pull.”

The PETA Investigations filed before the Bombay High Court discloses that the horses often get sick & injured and most of them are severely malnourished and are forced to stand among the waste in filthy and decrepit stables. The further reports documents denied the adequate rest, food, water and veterinary care of them. Accidents that involve the horse-drawn carriages causes several injuries in which some of them get fatal.

PETA stated that several years since the Bombay High Court passed orders, many carriage drivers and horse owners switched alternative form of their livelihood that include driving mechanical e-carriages to provide ride to the tourists. Several horses have been rescued from pulling carriages on tar roads and then released to sanctuaries where they can enjoy in peace.