PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Philadelphia City Council is showing its soft spot for animals. Two bills were introduced last week to protect our feathered and four-legged friends.
Horse-drawn carriages have virtually disappeared from Philadelphia, but Councilmember Mark Squilla fears the semiquincentennial could incentivize a revival, so he introduced a bill that would ban horse-powered transport, including sleighs and wagons.
“We just thought at this time, especially during 2026, to send a message that Philadelphia is against animal cruelty,” he said.
Squilla said he’d support the adoption of e-carriages to provide the kind of romance and novelty of a horse-drawn vehicle, but no takers so far on that front.
A horse-drawn carriage tour in Old City, April 14, 2013.John Greim/LightRocket via Getty Images
Meanwhile, Councilmember Cindy Bass wants to ban the goose liver delicacy known as foie gras, which is made by force-feeding ducks and geese.
“Philadelphia should not profit from a product made by the cruel force-feeding of animals for a luxury market,” she said.
Council has twice failed to pass foie gras bans, but the efforts did prompt some restaurants to pull the item from their menus. Bass said fewer than 20 Philadelphia restaurants are still serving it. KYW Newsradio reached out to several of them but got no response.
“Foie gras is a niche product served in fewer than 20 restaurants citywide, and humane alternatives already exist,” she added. “Cruelty should not be part of commerce in Philadelphia.”
