Savannah city council considers tighter temperature limits for horse carriages

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - A controversial conversation was put to rest Thursday at the Savannah City Council.

Leaders voted yes to change the temperatures at which horses are allowed to work outside.

It was the first time ever that the community could weigh in on horse carriage tours in the city and the temperatures at which they are allowed to work in the heat.

It was a packed meeting with standing room only.

Half of that meeting was organizations in orange against having horses work in temperatures over 85 degrees.

The city responded by saying lowering the temperatures to 85 degrees would severely impact Savannah’s horse carriage businesses during the busiest times of the year.

“Effectively, we can go to 85 degrees, but we are also basically legislating this out of business because they won’t be able to operate,” Mayor of Savannah, Van Johnson, said.

The other half, small businesses, assured council members that their horse carriage businesses take good care of their horses here.

Up for vote:

• The way they’d measure the heat temperatures and change the temperature regulations.

They decided to on a regulation that would allow horses to work at 92 degrees dry bulb temperature and 107 on a heat index.

“We have to do it with the science, and I believe the science from the vet we use says that we can work these animals at a safe rate between a bulb rate of 91 and 93,” Savannah District 2 Alderman, Detric Leggett said.

That will last until the end of this year.

Mayor Johnson says people should expect to see it appear on the agenda in the future.