Calls Grow for National Action on Horse Abuse in Belize City

The sight of injured and malnourished horses wandering through Belize City has sparked fresh outrage, but City Hall says its hands are tied without stronger national laws. Animal welfare advocates are again calling for horses to be banned from the city, arguing that repeated abuse cases show the current system is failing. But Mayor Bernard Wagner says outdated legislation and the lack of proper facilities to house confiscated animals make enforcement difficult. He says Belize needs modern laws that protect both animal welfare and public safety.

 

Bernard Wagner, Mayor of Belize City

“Yeah, that is, it is always an issue with horses, and we really require more in terms of the current legislation that we have on the books statutory guidance on the books. Those have to be modernized. The problems of yesteryear is different from the problems of today. And we are not legislators, right? We are not legislators. We can only continue to advocate through our local government to have these legislation be improved to meet the demands of today’s society.”

 

Member of the council have previously noted that the City Council lacks the legal authority to enforce action against horses being kept and raced in the city.

 

Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.

 

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