Animal rights groups are once again demanding that the replacement of Palma's horse-drawn carriages with electric vehicles have a concrete schedule. Satya Animal, Progreso en Verde, and Arde have called for a demonstration this Saturday, October 17th, at 6:00 PM, to demand that the City Council set public deadlines to make the transition effective and guarantee a dignified retirement for the animals retired from service.

Around 40 people demonstrated this Saturday in the center of Palma to demand that horse-drawn carriages be replaced by electric ones, with the aim of ending animal abuse. Summoned by the animal rights platforms Anima Naturalis, Peta, Satya Animal, FFW, and Progrés en Verd, the participants gathered at the Plaça de la Seu in Palma to then move to the point on Carrer del Conqueridor where a few weeks ago there was a confrontation between a carriage driver and a tourist.

The debate about replacing horse-drawn carriages with electric models has gained momentum again now that Palma has decided to end the horse-drawn carriage tradition. While the Balearic capital studies the future of this tourist service, there is a clear precedent in the Islands: Alcúdia, which completed the transition approximately a year ago and became the first municipality in Spain to definitively abandon horse-drawn carriages. A year later, the assessment is clear. "There is no doubt that the change is a success in every respect," says Eduardo Salazar, president of the Alcúdia carriage owners' association. However, the decision was not easy. The sector took the step with uncertainty, especially since the horse was, until then, one of the main attractions for tourists. Over time, this perception has changed. The new electric carriages have provided greater comfort for customers and clear improvements in terms of the environment and cleanliness. But above all, they have resolved one of the main points of contention: the use of animals and the suffering involved in pulling a carriage at certain times of day in summer and having to endure extremely high temperatures. "Before, there was a lot of tension. Now we only receive support and kind words," explains Salazar.

The replacement of the galleys of Palm The introduction of electric vehicles opens a new chapter for the sector, but it also raises concerns about the uncertain future of the 80 horses that currently pull the carriages. Both drivers and animal rights groups agree on one priority: "We try to prevent them from ending up in the slaughterhouse.".