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St. Augustine commissioners move to end carriage franchise after horses die and quarantine
Summary
After weeks of public outcry and a state quarantine at a city-leased stable, commissioners instructed staff to notify the carriage franchise holder that the city will not renew the franchise at the end of its term, citing repeated violations, documented animal deaths and ongoing public-safety concerns.
The St. Augustine City Commission voted to instruct staff to notify the holder of the city's carriage franchise that the city will not renew the franchise when the current agreement expires Sept. 30.
The decision followed a lengthy public-comment period in which residents and animal-welfare advocates said multiple horses kept at a city-leased stable had died and accused the franchisee of inadequate oversight. "Ghost's death was not an isolated event," said Catherine Zoda, a resident who described the outbreak as a "preventable tragedy" and urged a phase-out of carriage operations.
Corey Sackard, the…
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