Animal rights groups in Kansas City are taking action after Saturday night’s accident involving a horse-drawn carriage on the Country Club Plaza.
According to Kansas City police, a horse pulling a carriage with four passengers started running out of control and crashed into a fence on the bridge at Ward Parkway and Wornall. Three people were injured, as well as the horse.
The incident has sparked debate on social media over animal rights. Some people believe it's time to end the practice of horse-drawn carriages in the city.
An online petition by the group Animal Action of Kansas City calling for Mayor Sly James to ban horse-drawn carriages in Kansas City already has more than 14,000 signatures.
"It’s just a very dangerous situation to have these large prey animals that can easily be spooked in this very heavy traffic that can be loud, lots of lights lots of things that could provoke an animal,” Blythe Cooper, a spokeswoman for the organization, told Up To Date host Steve Kraske.
She says although the owners of the horse probably care very much for their animals, the environment for horses on the Plaza is inhumane.
"With our city constantly growing and with the Plaza shopping district being so congested, these animals are in a situation where they are living a nose-to-tailpipe existence," Cooper says. "They are constantly having fumes in their face, they are constantly having people swerve past them, honking. It's just not safe and it's not an enjoyable working environment for the horses."
Kansas City Carriages runs the Plaza carriage rides and owns the horse injured in the accident. KCUR was unable to reach the owners on Monday.
Some people have taken to social media to defend the horse's owners and the practice of horse-drawn carriage rides.
Kansas City police are calling the incident an accident. There likely won't be any citations against the carriage driver.
Lisa Rodriguez is a reporter and newscaster at KCUR. Connect with her on Twitter @larodrig.
