The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has launched a scathing attack on the Corporations of Hamilton and St. George?s for their treatment of buggy horses working long hours in the hot sun.

The SPCA lambasted Hamilton for waiting until last week to erect a shelter while St. George?s has failed to even do that because of its World Heritage Site status.

The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has launched a scathing attack on the Corporations of Hamilton and St. George?s for their treatment of buggy horses working long hours in the hot sun.

The SPCA lambasted Hamilton for waiting until last week to erect a shelter while St. George?s has failed to even do that because of its World Heritage Site status.

The SPCA statement said: ?The current working conditions of many horses working in Hamilton and St. George?s is unacceptable.?

But it said it was at an impasse with the Corporations on trying to improve the horses? plight, adding that the horses should be spared from working in the height of the summer heat.

That won sympathy from Hamilton mayor Lawson Mapp although he did not signal any intention to change regulations.

He said the Front Street horse canopy was now up and the issue was at an end but the SPCA statement said the Corporation had failed to follow through on promises and had waited 20 months to put up a shelter.

The statement said: ?If the Corporation of Hamilton is not willing to ensure that horses are looked after while in the jurisdiction then the SPCA requests the Corporation ?bite the bullet? and ban horses from hacking in the City.?

In the East End the SPCA said it had been trying for years to get a horses sun shelter built on Ordnance Island but the Corporation of St. George?s had dragged its feet.

?It has shown scant concern for the welfare of the horses themselves and no desire to work with the SPCA, citing its World Heritage Site status as a reason for not erecting an open shelter.?

The SPCA said it had been promised the shelter three times but at the latest meeting of horse operators and the Corporation it had been specifically agreed not to erect a shelter.

The statement went on: ?We cannot trust the owner/operators to necessarily act in the best interests of their animals.

?The fact that WEDCO is also planning to encourage carriage horses in Dockyard makes this all the more urgent for us.?

The SPCA urged the public to lobby the Corporations and alert the Police and the SPCA if horses were mistreated.

St. George?s Mayor E Michael Jones could not be reached for comment last night.

By Matthew Taylor The Royal Gazette