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Commission hears testimony on sick and missing carriage horses; moves to notify franchise holder it will not be renewed
Summary
Residents and animal-welfare advocates delivered detailed allegations about multiple horse deaths, disease mismanagement and repeated lease violations at the city‑leased 650 Riberia St stables. After staff updates on a FDACS quarantine and repeated inspections, the commission instructed staff to notify the franchise holder it will not renew the franchise when it expires.
Dozens of residents, veterinarians and carriage drivers told the St. Augustine City Commission on Tuesday they want the city to stop subsidizing horse‑drawn carriage operations and to hold franchisees accountable after a recent contagious disease outbreak.
Public commenters described deaths and missing animals connected to stables the city leases at 650 Riberia Street. “Ghost died at the city stable operated by Country Carriages,” public commenter Katie Zoda said, calling the death “a preventable tragedy” and urging a structured phase‑out of carriage operations. Other speakers named animals (Ghost, Titan, Beauty, Sprinkles) and showed photos they said document overcrowding, manure piles and deteriorating sheds.
The commission heard a staff briefing from…
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