Marrakech’s Dark Side: Animal Rights Group Exposes Carriage Horse Abuse in Tourist Hotspot

An international organization specializing in animal rights advocacy is calling for the protection of carriage horses in the city of Marrakech, denouncing the fact that these animals are exploited to death for the purpose of tourist entertainment.
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"Every day in Marrakech, Morocco, horses pull carriages through the streets, transporting tourists for sightseeing tours through the dense traffic and winding alleys. But behind the picturesque scenes of the lively souks, ancient buildings, and enchanting gardens, lies a painful reality," denounces the international NGO Network for Animals in a press release published on its website.

The organization deplores the suffering of these animals, who are "exposed to the burning sun when not occupied in pulling the carriages loaded with tourists" or who are "weak, dehydrated, to the point of collapsing in the streets, unable to get up" during the summer when "temperatures often exceed 40 degrees Celsius." Network for Animals also highlights the suffering of horses that are whipped or sustain "often serious and potentially fatal" injuries in traffic accidents.

In its press release, the association indicates that it has launched, in partnership with the Jarjeer Mule and Donkey Refuge, located in the vicinity of the ochre city, an appeal to the authorities to put an end to the mistreatment of these animals. This refuge, open 24 hours a day, provides care for horses rescued from various regions of Morocco, including carriage horses that are injured or in a state of extreme fatigue.