As a lifelong carriage operator my heart goes out to Jerry the carriage horse and his owners at Carriages for Hire. I also want to commend the company for a great job in a bad situation, having an emergency plan in place to get Jerry off the street.
Unfortunately, things like this happen. Whether Jerry was at home in the stable or pulling a carriage on the streets of Salt Lake, horses colic.
Animal activists will try to hijack this and make an issue of animal cruelty where none exists. Pulling a carriage in Salt Lake City didn't harm Jerry; colic is a fact of life for horses.
Animal welfare is an important part of being a carriage operator. Its built into most operators' business plans. The horse is our livelihood and our companion.
Everything needs a a purpose. Working for Carriages for Hire gave Jerry and the owners the opportunity to earn a living, animals and humans working together to benefit both.
Tommy Doyle
Carriage Operators of North America Charleston, S.C.