Minister Johannes Rauch (Greens) is thinking aloud about a Fiaker ban. A clear no comes from Vienna from the mayor down!
You can’t blame a Vorarlberg social worker if he doesn’t know the emotional relationship many Viennese have to “their” cabs. But Johannes Rauch is Minister for Animal Welfare. And in this capacity he would like to ban all horses from the city. The excitement in Vienna is great. Mayor Michael Ludwig (SPÖ) – a self-declared carriage fan – gives the idea a clear rejection. The city boss explains that he will do everything to preserve the 300-year-old tradition. He’s not the only one. The discussion is about two things. Firstly animal welfare. Radical animal rights activists have been calling for the cabs to be shut down for years. Argument: asphalt, city traffic and hooves don’t go together. What they don’t consider: If the more than 300 steeds lose their jobs, in the worst case they are threatened with euthanasia, says Christian Gerzabek from the “Pro Fiakerkultur” initiative. In no other city are horses doing as well as in ViennaThe well-travelled head of Vienna Tourism , Norbert Kettner, adds: “Nowhere else in the world do horses have such a good social system as we do. They only work every other day. The animals are doing really well.” The carriages are also an economic factor. That’s the second point. Hundreds of jobs – from stable boys to farriers – depend on the trade. According to the Chamber of Commerce, 19 companies operate 130 carriages. Head of division Markus Grießler: “Vienna without Fiaker would be like Venice without gondolas.” Or does Rauch like the peculiar plastic wagons that transport tourists around the ring better? Away from politics: What the Viennese say about the discussion – we asked around in the city center. The carriages are still a popular photo motif. Rauch’s initiative is not well received by the respondents. Above all, the unexplained consequences are exciting.
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