While large parts of Europe are suffocating under record temperatures, Vienna’s “Fiaker” horse-drawn carriage drivers fear for their future if animal rights activists turn up the heat.
In the stables of one of the leading carriage companies in the Austrian capital, driver Marco Pollandt explains how the animals are coping with the increasing heat and how much free time they are enjoying.
Rights activists want horses to stop working as soon as temperatures hit 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit), rather than 35 degrees as current regulations require – a demand that fiakers or coachmen say is their centuries-old demand profession will destroy.
“We can all live with the 35 degrees, but going any lower is actually not good for the horses, and we also have to discuss the economic consequences of that,” Pollandt told the AFP news agency.
The 28-year-old Viennese says horses trained to pull carriages need the exercise, while their grooms need the income.
On hot days, Fiacre drivers make sure the horses drink enough, while the places where they wait for customers are shaded in the afternoon.
“The climate is changing and it’s getting hotter,” says Pollandt.
“And of course it makes a difference if we have seven days a year that we’re not allowed to drive, or if we have 30 days a year that we’re not allowed to drive.”
– High demand –
Pollandt, who used to work in the catering industry and started offering food in a carriage five years ago, runs a website to provide information about horses and the profession of carriage driver. He also offers stable tours that offer a look behind the scenes.
Three hundred horses still pull carriages through Vienna, past City Hall and other landmarks, creating thousands of jobs, he notes.
“I noticed that nobody really explains how everything works,” says Pollandt, referring to strict regulations and regular veterinary checks to keep the horses fit.
Affected by Covid lockdowns and travel restrictions since 2020, business has bounced back quickly this year.
But activists say animals in the big city are particularly hard hit by scorching temperatures.
“This work clearly involves animal suffering. The horses sometimes stand in the sun at 34.5 degrees and work.
“They are exposed to noise, exhaust fumes, traffic and, of course, stress,” says David Fenzl from the association against animal factories.
In June, city officials considered calls for stricter regulations, but ultimately decided to postpone lowering the temperatures under which horses are not allowed to work until a study is conducted next year.
Fiakers are therefore free to continue for the time being – unless temperatures surpass 35C, as predicted later this week.
Scientists say heatwaves are becoming more frequent and intense due to climate change.
Britain and France went into unprecedented heatwave warnings this week as south-west Europe withered and wildfires engulfed more forest.
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