On the occasion of the upcoming "fifth season", the German Animal Welfare Federation reiterates its call for horses not to be used in carnival parades. This is because what awaits the flight animals during the Rose Monday parades is stressful even for experienced horses: projectiles, noise, crowds of people, unexpected contact. Cities such as Bonn recognized the seriousness of the situation last year and once again organize the Rose Monday parade without horses. The carnival stronghold of Cologne, on the other hand, is using 37 carriages this year alone - and there has already been a serious accident there in the past.
"Horses that take part in carnival parades - not just the big Cologne Rose Monday parade - have to endure crowds of people, sometimes drunk, loud music and jostling. All this means stress and is a burden for the sensitive flight animals. Thrown sweets can hit them. The horses are repeatedly touched by strangers without preparation. They have to pull sometimes heavy carriages for hours. The stop and go in particular is a feat of strength for the horses. In addition, there is an incalculable safety risk, which has been proven by several accidents involving horses passing through in the past," says Andrea Mihali, veterinarian and expert for horses at the German Animal Welfare Federation. For reasons of animal welfare and the safety of all those involved, the federation is calling for horses not to be used at all in future, as the city of Bonn has already done for the second year.
According to the German Animal Welfare Federation, the stricter guidelines of the Ministry of the Environment, Agriculture, Nature Conservation and Consumer Protection in North Rhine-Westphalia, which have been in force since 2023 for the use of horses in carnival parades, have done little to change the fact that parades are a major stress factor for horses. According to the guidelines, it must be possible to remove horses at several points along the route of the procession, among other things. In addition, horses should only be positioned at the beginning or end of a procession if possible - and not near a band.
Horses also pose an incalculable risk to revellers on the roadside during carnival parades. In 2018, five people were injured during the Rose Monday parade in Cologne - four of them seriously - because horses in a carriage ran through. The year before, an accident occurred during the Bonn parade. A team of horses and carriage ran away uncontrollably and collided with parked cars, among other things.
Carnival also means stress for dogs
Not only for horses, but also for dogs, the carnival can quickly become a stress factor. The German Animal Welfare Federation therefore appeals to all animal lovers not to put their four-legged friends in masquerade costume or take them to a street carnival or meeting. The crowds and noise can cause stress and fear. Throwing projectiles, broken glass and sweets that are poisonous to dogs are also serious sources of danger.
