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Public critics press city on carriage‑horse welfare and quarantine after video and quarantine reports
Summary
Multiple residents and stakeholders urged the city to act on alleged animal welfare violations by a carriage operator, criticized lease enforcement and called for stronger records, inspections and penalties; other speakers defended regulated carriage operations and urged balanced regulation.
A string of public commenters at the Jan. 12 Saint Augustine City Commission meeting pressed the city to take stronger action on animal‑welfare and lease‑compliance questions tied to downtown horse‑drawn carriage operators.
Several speakers cited a quarantine of a barn and a contagious respiratory disease (strangles) affecting horses owned by a franchise operator. Jennifer Cushin, who identified herself as the horse owner, said her barn had been quarantined and that she and her veterinarian were following state biosecurity directives. “No dead horses,” she told the commission, asking the public not to visit the barn during the quarantine.
Other commenters directly alleged animal abuse. Catherine Zoda told the commission she had video evidence taken Dec. 13 that shows the…
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