Malta Horses Suffer And Collapse In Heat

In 1962 my family emigrated to Australia and in those days you went by ship and had to pass through the Suez Canal.  On route we stopped at the island of Malta and here is a picture of getting a ride on the horse and traps that are a feature of the island.

I am in a bonnet on the front.  No, not the horse! the small girl on the seat behind the horse.  My family is inside and it is kind of shocking to realise that the photograph was taken 50 years ago.  So to be back living in Malta is surreal.  I walked passed the horses in Valletta with their traps this week and was struck by how hot it was and how much the poor horses seemed to be suffering in the intense heat.  Several seemed to be showing distress and almost all looked miserable.  

Mind you this summer has been unusually intense with temperatures staying up in the high 30s month after month.  Last year a horse died behind its trap and there was uproar in the local press about the lack of shelter for the horses that have to wait in baking heat for the tourist trade.  One caustic commentator pointed out that if the local government officials in their air conditioned offices had to share one day with these poor horses they would fast track the much needed shelters.  So it was depressing to see another horse collapsing with heat exhaustion in the local press recently.
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20120819/local/heat-takes-its-toll-on-horse.433556

Locals are complaining as well as tourists but for the sake of these horses one does hope real action follows.

locals complain

I like this bit below on this subject  in the Baha'i Writings

“Briefly, it is not only their fellow human beings that the beloved of God must treat with mercy and compassion, rather must they show forth the utmost loving-kindness to every living creature. For in all physical respects, and where the animal spirit is concerned, the selfsame feelings are shared by animal and man. Man hath not grasped this truth, however, and he believeth that physical sensations are confined to human beings, wherefore is he unjust to the animals, and cruel.

And yet in truth, what difference is there when it cometh to physical sensations? The feelings are one and the same, whether ye inflict pain on man or on beast. There is no difference here whatever. And indeed ye do worse to harm an animal, for man hath a language, he can lodge a complaint, he can cry out and moan; if injured he can have recourse to the authorities and these will protect him from his aggressor. But the hapless beast is mute, able neither to express its hurt nor take its case to the authorities. If a man inflict a thousand ills upon a beast, it can neither ward him off with speech nor call him into court. Therefore is it essential that ye show forth the utmost consideration to the animal, and that ye be even kinder to him than to your fellow man.*

Train your children from their earliest days to be infinitely tender and loving to animals. If an animal be sick, let the children try to heal it, if it be hungry, let them feed it, if thirsty, let them quench its thirst, if weary, let them see that it rests.”