Philadelphia committee advances ban on commercial horse‑drawn carriages

The Committee on Commerce and Economic Development voted to approve an amendment and report favorably for first reading a bill that would restrict commercial horse‑drawn carriage operations in Philadelphia.

Supporters framed the measure as a preventive public‑safety and animal‑welfare step. "This bill presents a rare opportunity for the city of Philadelphia to take a proactive approach to both public safety and animal welfare," Sarah Barnett, executive director of ACT Philly, told the committee. Barnett said there are currently no commercial horse‑drawn carriage operators in Philadelphia and argued the ordinance would therefore prevent risks without displacing existing workers. She urged the council to consider broader language to ban animal‑drawn carriages regardless of whether rides are free or for hire, citing recent incidents in other cities in which carriage horses or riders were injured or killed.

Shannon Dickerson, director of operations at Humane Action Pennsylvania, told the committee that horses belong to a different environment than dense urban traffic and argued the city should not wait for a tragedy before imposing limits. "Forcing horses to navigate congested city streets filled with traffic, construction noise, extreme weather, and unpredictable conditions is inherently unsafe and outdated," Dickerson said.

Councilmembers asked clarifying questions about the measure's scope. Councilmember Jones, who said she rides horses, emphasized she did not intend the bill to restrict private equestrian riding in parks or neighborhoods: the legislation addresses carriage licensing rather than horseback riding, the committee was told.

The committee approved an amendment to the carriage bill and then moved the bill, as amended, out of committee with a favorable recommendation; members signaled their approval by voice vote and the chair announced the motion carried. The committee also moved to suspend council rules to permit first reading at the next council session. No roll‑call tally was recorded in the transcript; the minutes record that the "ayes have it."

Next steps: The bill will appear for first reading at the next City Council session, where the full council may consider additional amendments or vote to advance the measure to later readings.