Israel bans horse-and donkey-drawn carts

Israel has become the first country in the world to ban horse-and donkey-drawn carts and carriages from its streets. Israeli animal rights group Hakol Chai helped draft the legislation after a decade-long fight.Hakol Chai had documented the horrific abuse of working horses and donkeys, who were forced to haul heavy loads of junk, construction debris, and produce . The animals were frequently starved, beaten, deprived of basic veterinary care, and forced to work long hours in the hot sun without access to shade or water. Many horses were simply abandoned when they could no longer work.The use of wagons and carriages will still be tolerated only for purposes as tourist, but after consultation with local authorities and the police, the next step will be the attempt to replace the carriages with rickshaws and open vehicles.It is a significant victory but the battle in Italy goes on to ban the practice but at the moment the council in Rome has shown no signs of intervening. source: all4animals.it