New monitoring for Charleston carriages delayed

CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) — A new system to monitor the heat for carriage horses in Charleston has been delayed until next summer.

The Post and Courier reports (http://bit.ly/p1ESSH ) the city planned to use a new thermometer. But a New Jersey company that was to install the device to take readings every 17 seconds pulled out of the deal.

Officials now hope to have a new system up by next summer.

Horses must be taken off the streets when the temperature reaches 98. The new device would be closer to the street than a thermometer the city now uses.

Carriage tour owners worry a new system would shut down tours more often. City officials say there has not been a heat-related injury in 25 years of monitoring under the present system.

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Information from: The Post and Courier, http://www.postandcourier.com