Fiaker – Salzburg: Missing rest days: Horses up to 4 days in a row in the city
Although the Fiaker companies in Salzburg would have to grant their horses at least one rest day after a day’s work in the city, according to the award criteria and additional operational and disciplinary regulations, the VGT could prove to each other that horses from all companies are used two or more days later in the city.
In July of this year, activists of the VGT observed the Fiacre horses that have to pull carriages with tourists through the streets of Salzburg every day for about three weeks and made a frightening discovery. Although in those belonging to the contract award criteria as well as the additional operational and disciplinary regulations (Supplement 7 , supplement 8) it is clearly stated that the horses must be given at least one rest day after a working day in the city, it has been documented that Fiaker horses were even used in the city for up to four days in a row. Normally, the carriages arrive at Residenzplatz from 9:40 a.m. (from 10 a.m. would be allowed) and most start their journey home between 5 and 7 p.m. Add to that the time it takes to get there and back. A total of 74 times in just under three weeks it was documented that horses had to pull tourists through the city on consecutive days. Here you will find a list.
The horses Angel* and Flower* (names have been changed by the editors), for example, were not only used four days in a row, but also six times in just seven days, which also constitutes a violation of the 1st Animal Husbandry Ordinance. The VGT will file a complaint.
Even the Fiaker-Obmann and ex-Fiaker-Obmann do not have days off
The fewest rest days were documented for the carriages of the new Fiaker chairman Daniel Schmeisser. Horses have been spotted in the city 29 times in consecutive days. In addition, only ten different horses were documented in the four carriages of the fiaker chairman during this period. With four carriages, however, at least sixteen horses would have to be used if one adheres to the days off. Horses were also documented 8 times on consecutive days in the city of the former Fiaker chairman Franz Winter – even though on his homepage (https://www.fiaker-salzburg.at/das-fiakerunternehmen-familie-franz-winter -jun/#pferde) claims that his horses even get a two-day break. Also in one Interview in the Salzburg News from June 23, 2021 it reads: “Our horses go in the carriage for one day, then they are in the stable for two days.”
Apparently, the promised two-day break is not being systematically adhered to. In addition to the 8 times mentioned, it was also documented that horses only one rest day instead of the claimed two would have.
The city of Salzburg must finally act
Just recently the VGT revealed that Paulaa loud one newspaper report retired horse for nine years, can still be found in town pulling carriages. The VGT has the magistrate already pointed out three timesthat the carriages do not stick to the only permitted route specified in the award criteria. Now it turns out that the horses are also systematically in town on consecutive days, even though rest days are used at the same time. The award criteria provide for strict consequences for breaching the criteria, namely a one-time reminder by registered letter for the first violation and immediate withdrawal of the permit for the stand in the event of a violation. Now it has been documented 74 times in three weeks that the horses did not have a day off – the magistrate must finally intervene and draw the agreed conclusions!
The VGT also demands that the contract with the Fiaker 2023 is not extended further, since the Fiaker apparently have no interest in sticking to it anyway.
Georg Prinz from the VGT is shocked: “It’s unbelievable how the poor horses are taken advantage of here – even though they are entitled to an urgent rest day after work, this is simply ignored and the horses spend up to four days at a time in the concrete desert of the city in the middle of summer. The fact that horses had to pull carriages in the city on consecutive days 74 times in just three weeks clearly shows that the city of Salzburg has a huge animal welfare problem. The horses are suffering – much more than was previously known! The city of Salzburg must immediately take the consequences that are stipulated in the award criteria! A contract extension must therefore finally be off the table.”
Petition: www.vgt.at/fiaker-salzburg
*Editor’s name changed