Debate over heat protection for Fiaker horses: Petition demands off-duty at 30 degrees, sensors in use

What the petition specifically demands

Specifically, the petition provides for the city authorities to prohibit the deployment of Fiaker horses on particularly hot days from a measured temperature of 30 degrees Celsius. This is intended to protect the animals from overheating and circulatory problems. The City of Vienna is the regulatory body responsible for licensing and supervising the Fiaker industry.

Alongside the petition, a technical pilot project is underway: the horses are being fitted with sensors that are intended to continuously measure their physical strain in the heat. The goal is to gather objective data that can be used to decide whether and when an animal should be gently withdrawn from service. Until now, assessing heat strain has often been a matter of the carriage drivers' personal judgment.

City of Vienna and existing rules

Supporters of the petition argue that voluntary measures by the industry are not enough and that only a binding heat-off rule will protect the animals in the long term. Critics, on the other hand, warn that a blanket ban at 30 degrees would threaten the economic livelihood of many carriage-driving families and are calling instead for shaded parking areas, water stations, and adapted tour times.

The City of Vienna has already tightened the heat regulations for Fiakers several times in recent years. These include shorter deployment times in summer, mandatory breaks, and the obligation to be able to seek out places with shade. Whether the petition will result in a new ordinance now depends on the further course of the signature collection and on political decisions.

Federal states and the cross-regional context

In other federal states such as Styria and Carinthia, there is also discussion about how to handle tourist carriage horses. Supporters of a nationwide uniform standard point out that heat waves in Austria have occurred more frequently and more intensely in recent summers. The sensors could serve as a basis for data-based regulation.

Animal welfare organizations stress that scientific findings on horse physiology in the heat have been available for years. According to these, horses already suffer noticeably at temperatures above 25 degrees Celsius, particularly in densely built-up surroundings such as Vienna's inner city, where heat builds up on asphalt and paving.

How things could proceed

The coming weeks are considered crucial: if the petition reaches the required number of signatures, it could be submitted to the Vienna City Council for deliberation. At the same time, the ongoing sensor measurements are expected to provide the first comparable figures, which may feed into the discussion. © oe24