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Austria: Cross Carriage Drivers

May 31, 2012

Horse-drawn cabs are as important a tradition at the square in front of St. Steven's Cathedral as the waltz is to Vienna. But now, new regulations on the humane treatment of the horses are leading to changes.

https://p.dw.com/p/15591

In future, the horses will no longer be allowed to go out daily, and their drivers will be required to adhere to stricter feeding schedules for their teams. The owners of small horse-drawn cab companies, some of who have only one carriage team, say that’s a problem. On days they don’t drive, they also don’t earn - so the changes are leading to significant cuts in their income. The regulations also aim to reduce the total number of horse-drawn cabs. Now the cabbies are fighting back, saying they shouldn’t be painted as abusive to their animals.