Mare gives birth on a Karpoš street; viral image renews concern over livestock in Skopje
A street birth during the Skopje marathon reignited complaints about horses grazing in parks and moving through city streets.
A photograph of a mare giving birth on a street in Karpoš during the Skopje marathon went viral and renewed attention to a long‑standing problem: livestock roaming inside the city.
Horses are frequently seen grazing or wandering in parks, on sidewalks and along urban streets where they do not belong. Residents in Karpoš have repeatedly reported horses in public green areas and on roadways, and the street birth became an unusually stark example of that everyday phenomenon.
The presence of animals in public spaces damages planters and other city installations, and their movement through traffic creates clear safety risks for drivers and pedestrians. Close encounters are also unpleasant and can be dangerous because animals may behave unpredictably and potentially injure people.
Authorities and animal welfare
Several institutions intervened to remove the mare and her foal from the traffic after the birth. Responsibility for horses in urban areas is spread across multiple bodies, which residents say contributes to slow or inconsistent responses.
Beyond public-safety concerns, grazing in parks and exposure to vehicles are harmful to the animals themselves. A mare delivering on a public street is among the most extreme examples of neglect and poor care.
The incident in Karpoš also drew attention to everyday scenes elsewhere in Skopje and in towns across the country, where horse‑drawn carts still operate on city roads and animals are often found inside urban areas.
Photo: press material from the event
