Portland, Ore., mayor seeks comments on proposal to ban carriages in city after horse death

Oregon mayor seeks input on carriage ban proposal

PORTLAND, Ore. — Portland Mayor Sam Adams has turned to Twitter to ask for feedback on a proposal to ban horse-drawn carriages in the city after a horse died over the weekend while pulling a carriage through downtown.

Adams tweeted his message Thursday, a day after national animal rights group PETA urged him and city commissioners to ban the carriages. On Saturday, a horse collapsed and died while pulling a carriage holding a newlywed couple, their photographer and a driver. It’s unclear what caused the death, but temperatures were in the 90s.

Adams spokesman Roy Kaufmann says the city is looking at the issue but a single incident may not be enough to change policy.

The Oregonian says the city doesn’t actively regulate horse-drawn carriage traffic. And Sharon Harmon of the Oregon Humane Society says that absent claims of mistreatment, the county can’t regulate it either.

Information from: The Oregonian, www.oregonlive.com