Police in Seville are investigating the death of a horse from apparent heatstroke as it pulled a carriage laden with tourists through the southern Spanish city during a record heatwave.
Bystanders tried to revive the animal with water after it collapsed next to a busy road, a video posted on Instagram on Wednesday by a member of bird rescue charity Rescate de Aves showed.
The horse died during the city's April Fair celebrations, which last year attracted an estimated 500,000 revellers to the hottest region in Spain.
Temperatures in Seville were expected to hit 36 degrees Celsius (97 degrees Fahrenheit), and the city has brought in extra healthcare workers to deal with heat exhaustion during the festival.
Horse-drawn tourist carriages are a common sight in the city, where authorities have handed out more than 1,000 licences to operate them during this year's fair.
Seville's association of horse carriage operators did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the horse's death.
5 comments
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Unfortunately the Tourists love to see these Horse drawn carriages.. I love to see healthy well groomed and fit Horses. But if these deaths continue in extreme heat, then they must be stopped and withdrawn.
Lionel BaileyWAT CRAP........ITS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE WEIGHT...FOR GOD'S SAKE...NOTE - HEAT STROKE...!!!
Lionel BaileyFOR GODS SAKE....WHEN are they going to STOP this "trade".....shouldhave been STOPPED A LONG TIME AGO.....SO...STOP THIS NOW....OR HOW MANY MORE OF THESE POOR "ABUSED" BEAUITFUL HORSES DIE...!!!!
Palma should learn from this and finally ban the horse drawn carriages, they have delayed and delayed on this for far too long.....they are outdated and inappropriate - fat, lazy tourists can surely walk on their own two legs.
Their should be a passenger weight limit, if that is not complied with ,take their licence and fine.