In 2022, Palma City Council pledged to ban horse-drawn carriages and replace them with electric alternatives by 2024. The decision came after public outcry and horrifying footage of a horse collapsing in the street during a heatwave. Council members cited concerns for animal welfare and safety, promising a future free from this outdated exploitation.

But that promise was quietly dropped. A new administration took over, and the ban never happened.

Horses are still being forced to haul tourists through Palma’s busy streets in intense heat, noise, and traffic. They are not machines. They are sensitive, intelligent individuals who suffer from exhaustion, dehydration, injuries, and fear. Some collapse. Some die. Every day the promised ban is delayed, animals pay the price.

Palma once showed leadership. Now it’s time to follow through.

We urge Palma City Council to:

1. Honour the 2022 promise and enact a full ban on horse-drawn carriages in Palma.

2. Replace them with electric vehicles, as originally planned.

3. Retire the horses currently in use to sanctuaries or suitable long-term care.

4. Enshrine this decision in local law to prevent future reversals.

Cities like Barcelona, Paris, Tel Aviv, and Oxford have already banned horse-drawn carriages. Palma said it would join them. The world is watching. Please act now.

Palma made a promise. Now it’s time to keep it.