No more horse drawn carriages
Philadelphia is known as the City of Firsts. Since its inception by William Penn in the late sixteen hundreds, Philadelphia a.k.a Philly has been at the forefrunt of the revolution in all its forms.
We were the first to invent a pencil with an eraser, a Slinky and even the first photograph. On a more serious note, Philadelphia was the first city in the US to open a hospital, a medical school and a college for women. It was also the first city to protest against slavery and form the Anti-Slavery Society. In the past Philadelphia was way ahead of its time.
Then we weren’t. Somehow we decided that abusing animals was innovative and thus Philadelphia is also home to the first zoo and the first circus. It was the home to horse drawn carriages, a tradition that has been going on for eighty years.
And now, once more Philadelphia is set to be the first city in the United States to introduce e-carriages in place of horse-drawn carriages.
About a month ago, after biweekly protests held for two long years, meetings with council members, late night calls with each other wondering whether they would ever be successful in getting horses off city streets, activists were pleasantly surprised that indeed they were off city streets.
The 76 carriage company closed its doors in February 2023 and horses were off the streets at that time. This summer activists excitedly documented the use of inanimate electric vehicles to provide rides instead of living, breathing animals.
Of course, no good deed goes unpunished. The horses were offered sanctuary instead of slaughter, but at this time, no one knows the fate of the horses. Activists and supporters who have worked tirelessly for years on this campaign are all hoping, praying that the horses pulling carriages finally found peace on a sanctuary. However, they are not sure.
Activists are finding solace in the thought that at least horses aren’t pulling carriages anymore. Lets hope the city of brotherly love and one that prides itself for being progressive and justice oriented does the right thing and never ever allows horses to be abused on roads again.
But if it ever does, Revolution Philadelphia will continue to fight for those horses. Afterall, Philly was the birthplace of the revolution.
Onward.
