WE MUST DEFEAT INTRO 35A
write to your council members -- You are the horses' only hope!
Thanks to all of you who came to our
meeting last Wednesday. We hope you found it
informative. The most important idea that
came out of that meeting is for everyone to
contact their Council Members to ask them not to
support and to vote against Intro 35A, the
industry bill. We are also asking
people to
ask their Council Members to support Intro
86/92. The reason why we are combining these
bills is because Intro 86 will be changed to
include the section on humane disposition of
horses, which was part of Intro 92. But
until that happens, we are showing it this
way "Intro 86/92."
For information and tips on what you can do -
click on What
You Can Do. This includes writing
to Council Members, Mayor Bloomberg, Speaker
Quinn and Letters to the Editor at newspapers
in NYC.
COUNCIL MEMBER MELISSA MARK-VIVERITO'S STATEMENT
about the carriage horse bills
Shortly after the March 12th 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.
Statement on City Council Horse Carriage
Legislation --
April 6, 2010 --
Last month, I introduced a piece of
legislation that would phase out the horse
carriage industry and replace it with
environmentally-friendly classic show cars,
which would offer tours around the park and
potentially throughout the City.
I feel strongly that the horse carriage
industry needs to be phased out in the City of
New York. I believe that my bill provides a
strong, viable alternative to the current
industry that will preserve jobs and bring in
more revenue for the City.
We recently held a hearing on my bill and
three others that deal with the horse
carriage industry. After meeting with
advocates, who raised some concerns that my
bill, in its current form, does not address
what will happen to the horses after the
carriages are phased out, we are looking at
incorporating that language, as well as
getting some other questions and concerns
addressed. We look forward to continuing to
advance this legislation during this term.
INTRO 35 HAS BEEN REVISED - IT IS NOW 35A
no longer addresses riding stables; water issue remains
PITY THE POOR HORSES: The original
bill called for the City of NY
to pay for piping so water is available to
the horses year round. There were a lot of
complaints because the City does not have the
money and we knew this would be "window
dressing" - it would be in the bill, but
never happen. So the sponsors of the bill,
in their "wisdom," removed this section of the
bill. They would prefer to deprive the
horses of water for six months a year rather
than to have the industry pay for the piping.
RIDING STABLES: It is so very
interesting that the riding
stable industry has such influence on the
City Council. Most of their horses live in
small tie stalls and the complaint was that
they would have to close if they were to
comply with Intro 35 asking for larger box
stalls and a 5-week furlough. The bill does
not include these horses anymore. Amazing
that Kensington
Stables in Brooklyn, can offer
carriage rides for $90 for 40 minutes when
the legal rate is $34 for 30 minutes. And
everyone in power looks the other way.
As much as we feel for these horses, we
cannot get
involved with the riding horse
issue. We do not have the time and it
dilutes our efforts. However, if anyone
lives in Council Member Brad
Lander's district in Brooklyn, please
consider complaining to him about his heavy
handed approach to the riding horse stable
issue. He showed up at the Department of
Health hearing and the City Council hearing
dragging young children to testify about how
they would not be able to ride anymore if
these stables had to comply with new rules
and regs. The proposed legislation and DoH
regulations would have affected all horses -
carriage and
riding. But because of his influence and the
influence of the riding stables in the
boroughs, these horses will remain in tie
stalls and not have turnout.
This is all about money. The riding stables
cannot afford to provide adequate stalls for
their horses so they persuaded the Council to
change Intro 35 and they persuaded the
Department of Health to change their proposed
regulations. That is a lot of influence.
And Kensington continues to overcharge and
get away with it.
ACCIDENTS AROUND THE WORLD
flimsy carriages; spooked horses; injuries
Once more Charleston, SC is in the
news. The
front axle of a carriage broke, tipping its
passengers onto the street. Click
here to read about it. In
Budapest,
a carriage leaving the set of a movie
starring Robert Pattinson was in an accident
with a car resulting in the carriage driver
falling off and getting serious injuries and
the horses spooking and running off. Click
here .
In Falkenstein, Austria, two horses were
spooked by a loud noise and bolted,
overturning the carriage. The driver was
injured. Click
Here for more information. In
Vienna, Austria, an unmanned
carriage was involved in an accident when the
horses bolted crashing into parked cars.
Click
here.
In Anchorage, Alaska, a car crashed into a
carriage resulting in broken ribs, a smashed
carriage and spooked horse. Click
Here.
OUR NEWSLETTER
finally archived
Don't ask. It took a long time. But finally,
I am in the middle of archiving our
newsletters. Click
here. to see old issues. I
am still working on it to give brief
descriptions and dates. You can actually
reach it by
clicking on the "Newsletter" button on the
home
page.
If finally works!
WE NEED VOLUNTEERS
many skills needed
Every weekend we table on Fifth Avenue near
the hack line educating people about this
inhumane industry. We always need people to
help out. Please contact Rita at
volunteerforthecoalition@gmai.com
if you
can give two hours a month or more. We have
managed to keep this issue alive for four
years and we are not going away - but we very
much need your help.
We are also looking for people to help out
from time to time with web based skills;
video editing for Youtube, legal, research,
public
relations and other general organizational
skills.
.
JOIN US ON FACE BOOK & SIGN ONLINE PETITION
"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.
