5-11/196 - March 28, 2010
 
 

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HORSE SENSE
Periodic updates about issues and actions concerning New York City's Carriage Horses +
Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages www.banhdc.org

Horses Without Carriages International www.horseswithoutcarriages.org

PLEASE FORWARD TO LISTS, FRIENDS & COLLEAGUES ** Bills to Merge ** Defeat Intro 35 ** Activist Meeting ** CNN reports on Mustang roundup

INTRO 86 & 92 TO BE MERGED
so what's next?
weary horse As we stated in our last newsletter, Intro 86, the bill that would exchange classic cars for horse-drawn carriages, does not address what will happen to the horses. This was particularly distressing to us since saving the horses (who are privately owned) was the only reason we got involved with this issue -- not to create a new industry. Unless "horse disposition" is addressed in the bill, the horses will continue to fall through the cracks and many will end up at the auctions. It is naive to believe anything else. It must be spelled out in black and white. It must be a legal requirement.

Existing Section 17-329 of the Health section of the Administrative code allows for this huge loop hole. The Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages had previously worked with the Council on crafting acceptable language to address this. It was included in former Intro 658, which is now Intro 92 as Section 17-330, which repealed Section 17-329.

Someone forwarded to us an e-mail from NY Class, the prime sponsor of Intro 86. They acknowledged that Intro 86 does not include language "specifically mandating the terms of the disposition of the carriage horses." It went on to say that one of their founders would "work with the horses' owners to ensure that the horses are able to live out their remaining days on sanctuaries and farms." While this is a nice sentiment - it is either very naive or very arrogant. This must be addressed in the bill. These horses are privately owned and it would be an understatement to say that the horse owners have a lot of animosity to all of us, but particularly NY Class.

Shortly after the hearing, we met with Council Member Melissa Mark Viverito, the sponsor of Intro 86 about merging Intro 92 and Intro 86. She was very agreeable to our suggestions. We also pointed out some inconsistencies with Intro 86 and ways the issue of jobs can be improved. There is a lot of work to be done with creating a new and better bill that all of us can support. We are very happy to have CM Viverito on our side. She was the second council member to sign on to Intro 658 - the original bill to ban horse-drawn carriages. When asked what we can suggest to people to do now, she said to work on defeating Intro 35. It will probably be voted out of committee soon.

GOTHAMIST POLL: ON CARRIAGE HORSES
Winner: Ban the industry completely
horse chains 1 The Gothamist, an online publication, recently ran a poll concerning NYC carriage horses. The poll is now closed. The question posed was How should the carriage horse industry be transformed? A total of 871 votes were cast. These are the results:
  • Only allow horse-drawn carriage rides in Central Park. 10% (87 votes)
  • Replace horses with antique fuel-efficient electric cars. 31% (267 votes)
  • Provide the horses with a vacation and safer working conditions. 24% (211 votes)
  • Eliminate the carriage horse industry all together. 35% (306 votes)

The winner was clearly the option to eliminate the carriage horse industry winning more than 1/3 of the votes cast. However, what makes this even more compelling is that when coupled with the option of replacing the horses with electric cars, which got just under 1/3 of the votes - it equals about 66% of the vote. The people have said it is time to move this city forward and retire the horses. Is the City Council listening?

TAKE ACTION - OPPOSE INTRO 35 - CARRIAGE INDUSTRY BILL
Contact your Council Member
tie stall Intro 35 was introduced in early February. Click here for the text. The main purpose of this bill is to give the drivers a 221% rate increase, with a clause that rates shall be indexed for inflation every three years. However, because the industry knows a straight increase without any give backs might not be palatable, they have added some "concessions," which are clearly window dressing. They are designed to deceive the gullible.

Please contact your council member to oppose this bill. Click here to get to the council web site for contact information. Please note the following:

  • Snail mail letters are best. They should be sent to the district office. Mail to the legislative office takes longer.
  • E-mails are discouraged. E-mails to the Council Member at the official address listed may bounce, be deleted or otherwise not get into the right hands.
  • RECOMMENDED: Call your council office and ask for the e-mail address of the legislative person, that you have a specific matter to discuss with them.
  • Consider writing to all Council Members and the Mayor.
  • FAXES - also a good solution

Please see our web site for a Sample Letter and e-mail addresses. This provides arguments against Intro 35.

  • New Yorkers and everyone who lives outside NYC: Please contact Mayor Bloomberg:
  • Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg - City Hall - New York, NY 10007
  • PHONE 311 (or 212-NEW-YORK outside NYC)
  • FAX (212) 312-0700
  • E-mail on line: http://www.nyc.gov/html/mail/html/mayor.html

ACTIVIST MEETING
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Please come to an activist meeting to discuss the carriage horse bills and what we can do to defeat Intro 35.
  • WHEN: Wednesday, April 7, 2010 - 6-8 PM
  • WHERE: LGBT Community Center - 208 W. 13th St. (west of 7th Ave.)
  • Drop us an e-mail to let us know if you will be attending: [email protected]

CNN REPORTS ON MUSTANG ROUNDUP
77 horses have died during cruel roundups
Calico horses Click here to see CNN's excellent report by Jane Velez Mitchell on the mustang roundup in the western United States. The demonstration took place in Washington, DC on Thursday, March 25th. It was organized by the Cloud Foundation and Friends of Animals. Actress Wendy Malick, participated. The CNN report includes Madeleine Pickens and Ginger Kathrens of the Cloud Foundation.

If you have not yet done so - or even if you have, please call President Obama's office at 202-456-1111 and leave a message asking him to strop these cruel and unnecessary roundups. (Calico Horses, sweaty in the cold - by Kurt Golgart, courtesy BLM)

JOIN US ON FACE BOOK & SIGN ONLINE PETITION
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"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." Margaret Mead.

Thank you for caring about the horses, Elizabeth Forel - Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages - a standing committee of The Coalition for New York City Animals, Inc.

Please DONATE to our campaign to ban the inhumane and unsafe carriage horse industry.

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