Else Beekman
The Málaga City Council has announced plans to phase out the city’s horse-drawn carriage service. This decision comes after years of debate and pressure from animal rights groups.
The council has begun negotiations with carriage owners to reach an agreement that will see the end of this traditional but controversial practice as soon as possible.
While the current licences for the carriages are set to expire in 2035, the city aims to abolish the service “as soon as possible,” citing concerns that it may harm the city’s image, particularly among tourists who are increasingly sensitive to animal welfare issues.
According to La Opinión de Málaga, Mayor Francisco de la Torre is committed to ensuring a fair transition for all parties involved. The council has proposed financial compensation and retraining programmes to help carriage drivers find new employment opportunities. These efforts build on existing measures that have been in place since 2015, which include buying out existing licences. So far, these efforts have reduced the number of active carriages from 55 to 25, at a cost of one million euros.
Carriage owners, while saddened by the impending end of a long-standing tradition, acknowledge the inevitability of the decision and have expressed a willingness to negotiate.
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