Brendan Reilly, a Representative of the 42nd District in Chicago, has pressured the city’s Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection to crack down on horse urine left behind by horse-drawn carriages. Carriage horses are already required to wear diapers to prevent manure droppings on city streets.
The new rule takes effect today and states, “Urine must be immediately diluted with a deodorizing, non-toxic liquid” that is “eco-friendly, safe, recyclable, and non-harmful to people and property.”
Drivers “shall be responsible for carrying and using the diluting liquid,” while license holders are responsible for providing it.
Meanwhile, bloggers and citizens of Chicago are pointing out the hilariousness of such a ruling and possible consequences of traffic jams and accidents when carriage drivers are required to stop and spray the horse urine to dilute it.
Given the busy streets in Chicago, and the fact that horse urine actually has little odor when compared to that of dogs and cats which is in abundance in the city, carriage drivers and many residents see this as government at its interfering worst.