5-12/205 - May 23, 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 ** Shamrock Stables out by June 1st ** ASPCA offers to take horses ** June 5th event ** New video ** Accident listing

SHAMROCK STABLES IN THE NEWS
must be out of present site by June 1st
Shamrock Stable NY Times - May 19, 2010 - City Tells Carriage-Horse Stable It's Time to Close - Wood shavings dust the concrete ramp leading into to Shamrock Stables, one of five carriage-horse stables in New York City. But by mid-June, those shavings, the smell of manure, and the quiet whispers of the stable's Irish owners will probably be replaced by the sites and sounds of construction as the city plans to move forward with a luxury and moderately priced housing development that will also include a new school, stores and open space. At odds are a family-run business facing eviction June 1 and the city's need to expand and redevelop. The loss could be a quarter of the city's carriage horses, beloved by some New Yorkers, while others think they have been mistreated for years and should be prohibited in the city. "We hold New York's most precious commodity in the palm of our hand - and that's the tourist," Ian McKeever, an owner of the stable, said at a news conference on Tuesday aimed at winning some kind of financial support from the city. "Compassion is what I am looking for in these economic times." Shamrock Stables is the only stable leasing its building from the city. According to Carolyn Daly, a spokeswoman for the stable, Shamrock has been a city tenant for 41 years, originally on 61st Street near Franklin D. Roosevelt Drive and, since 2001, at 522 West 45th Street.

Mr. McKeever, 41, and the other owner, John Campbell, 74, said that when the city relocated them in 2001, they signed a month-to-month lease with the city, which led them to believe they would ultimately return to their original location. "But they didn't put it in writing or make it official," Mr. Campbell said. Months turned into years, and during those years the city notified Shamrock Stables more than once that the land had been rezoned and that their stables were destined for redevelopment. "We knew this would be developed at some point," said Mr. McKeever, who pays $5,000 a month in rent. Mr. McKeever said he believed comparable stables would cost $60,000 a month to rent, which he said he and his tenants could not afford.

Last fall, Shamrock received notification that the city had sold the land to Gotham Construction for development and that they would have to find new homes for their horses and carriages by the end of 2009. City courts granted the stables an extension through May, but over the last few months, some of Shamrock's tenants, growing nervous, left the stable and settled in stalls located in the four other carriage stables around the city. "We know it's not easy to relocate a business, but this is something that has been in the works since 2005, and this," said Eric Bederman, a spokesman for the Department of Housing Preservation and Development, referring to development, "is something the community needs." According to Mr. Bederman, the city's other stables, which are all privately operated, have the capacity to house the remaining horses at Shamrock's stables, but carriage drivers and supporters of Shamrock Stables say every stable needs a few open stalls for sick horses.

READ THE COMMENTS AFTER THE NYTIMES STORY
Please read the comments after the blog. Shamrock has been paying $5,000 a month instead of market value of $60,000 for this space -- and it was in a building that was owned by the Department of Education. This, at a time when the City of NY could have used the revenue. Why is this industry subsidized by the government when firehouses are being closed; teachers losing jobs and other small businesses have lost their space when rents go up or they are forced out due to real estate development.

ASPCA & NY-CLASS OFFER TO FIND HOMES FOR HORSES
Shamrock turns them down
Shamrock ASPCA/NY-Class - May 27, 2010 NEW YORK - The imminent closing of Shamrock Stables in Manhattan presents an opportunity to New York City, the carriage horse owners and those who favor the humane treatment of animals. The ASPCA, in partnership with NY-CLASS, has made an offer to Shamrock Stables and the City government to find homes for these horses, taking them off the streets and placing them in environments that have their best interests at heart. This option puts the welfare of the horses first and prevents them from being auctioned off to work farms or where the possibility for exploitation and inhumane treatment is high.

"Even though we have opposing views on the proper treatment of horses, we believe that in this case, we can all work together on their behalf. We stand ready to cooperate with Shamrock Stables and the City on this important issue."

This offer should have put a stop to the industry's threats of sending the horses back to the Amish to work 12 hour days. However, it was turned down. Read about it in the NY Times - An Offer for Stable's Horses, but Not the Stable 5/21/10 - along with the comments that follow.

HOLD THE DATE - SATURDAY JUNE 5TH
Horses Without Carriages International Day
HWIC logo The first Saturday of June and December is Horses Without Carriages International Day in which groups in cities around the world stand in solidarity with each other to protest the inhumane and unsafe horse-drawn carriage industry. See our web site Horses Without Carriages International.

SHOCKING LIST OF CARRIAGE HORSE ACCIDENTS
compiled by All-Creatures
All-Creatures has the most complete list of carriage horse accidents. The list they have compiled includes the article from which the information came. It represents accidents throughout the world. Although the Coalition is the source of much of the information - via our e-newsletter , we only keep a compilation for NYC on the web site. click here to view.

ABOUT COUNCIL SPEAKER CHRISTINE QUINN
New Youtube video by Donny Moss
Donny Moss has almost single handedly taken on the defeat of Christine Quinn for mayor in 2013. See his new video on Youtube: Christine Quinn Lies to the Public - Please note:
  • The Council Speaker has almost as much power as the Mayor.
  • The Speaker decides what bills are voted on and which ones will pass.
  • The Speaker is elected by her Council colleagues. There is a lot of power brokering, back room deals and Tweeding that goes on. The Speaker is not elected by the people.
  • Individual Council Members have almost no power.
  • This is the way NYC government is structured.
  • Speaker Christine Quinn just happens to be opposed to any animal issues bill that comes before her. She is pro real estate industry, carriage industry, restaurant industry, pro zoo, circus and so on
  • The City Charter is currently under review and some issues will be on the ballot in November. Most of the appointees on the charter were put there by Mayor Bloomberg.

We can move to another city or we can get involved in the next mayoral election in 2013. Christine Quinn will most likely be running for mayor and she already gets a lot of publicity. If she is elected, it will be a disaster for fair minded, compassionate people. It is still much too early for other politicians to announce their intentions. GET INVOLVED.

BLOGS ON THE ISSUE
Shamrock Stables out by June 1st??
Shamrock Stables Must Not Be Subsidized - Zizi

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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