Greens demand heat -free from 30 degrees for fiaker horses in Vienna!

Greens demand heat -free from 30 degrees for fiaker horses in Vienna!

Innere Stadt, Österreich - The situation for the fiaker horses in the inner city of Vienna is currently causing heated discussions. More and more people are concerned about the working conditions of the horses, especially on hot days. The Greens have therefore brought in a resolution in the district parliament, which demands heat -free for the fiaker horses from a temperature of 30 degrees Celsius. Currently, heat -free in Vienna only applies from 35 degrees, which many consider insufficient. According to the Greens' own measurements, the surface temperatures of the asphalt finally reached up to 50 degrees. The lack of shadow options at the stands for the Fiaker are another problem in this debate.

The district club chairman of the Greens, Alexander Hirschenhauser, criticized the rejection of the application by the SPÖ, FPÖ and two Neos representatives. He underlines that early heat -free is necessary to protect the health of the animals. District head Markus Figl (ÖVP), on the other hand, refers to shadow stands that have already been created and emphasizes animal welfare. The MA 65 plans to wait for a study carried out by MA 60 and the Veterinary University of Vienna. This study is intended to investigate how fiaker horses react under the current climatic conditions.

Scientific examination of the fiaker horses

As part of a dissertation by veterinarian Carina Krcal, a team from the Veterinary University has been investigating the heat adaptability of over 50 fiaker horses since January 2025. The aim of the study is to determine how the animals deal with heat and from when it becomes a health burden. In addition, examinations take place in which breathing, pulse and body temperature of the horses and the temperature of the bridle are measured. The data of these surveys are to be collected by the end of December, with testing on hot days to get a comprehensive picture. A first interim report is planned for this summer and the final report is expected in early 2025.

The city of Vienna also plans its own study on the use of horse in climate change, which is expected to start in the first quarter of 2024 and is expected to run over two and a half years. This shows that the city wants to make progress in research, but has not yet been recognized directly.

alternative suggestions and animal welfare concerns

The conditions for fiaker horses are also criticized by animal rights activists. The association against animal factories calls for an end to the Fiaker farm in the city. A winding discussion about alternatives has already started. Some animal rights activists propose to replace fiaker horses with camels because they are better adapted to higher temperatures. However, the use of camels in the city is pointed out by many experts and is not considered practical. The Austrian animal protection association notes that camels have special nutritional needs and represent an unimaginable alternative for city traffic.

In the end, a technical solution could perhaps bring the rescue: electrical slides. This environmentally friendly variant would reduce the stress of the animals and at the same time reduce the noise and emissions of conventional carriages. A step towards animal welfare and urban sustainability would be a solution that would support many right away.