Chicago Considers Banning Horse-Drawn Carriages

CHICAGO — Local activists have been protesting against horse-drawn carriages in Chicago for years, but a recent ordinance may halt the carriage companies from operating for good. Ald. Brendan Reilly and co-sponsor Ald. Brian Hopkins proposed the ordinance, which would prevent carriage companies from renewing their licenses.

The aldermen said one of there main concerns is traffic congestion downtown.

“I don’t think many people contemplated horse-drawn carriages to be co-mingled with semi-trailers and CTA buses and tour buses and Uber and Lyft and taxi cabs and everything else we’ve got out there on the right-of-way,” Reilly said in an interview with WTTW.

Local carriage company owners said the ordinance would remove a part of Chicago's history and strip the city of character, according to the report.

Municipal laws forbid carriage owners from working horses for more than six hours within a 24-hour period. Carriage companies are also not allowed to operate when temperatures are below 15 degrees or over 90 degrees.

The proposed ordinance is in the Committee on License and Consumer Protection. According to the WTTW report, Reilly hopes the proposed ban is taken up at the City Council's next meeting.

Image by Amber Fisher/Patch