Check out this clever and true cartoon video on Youtube by AliceRuthNYC called Horse Drawn Carriages in New York City. Click here

This conference focuses on grass roots activists and their work. Rosa Close, the head of the Anti-Fur Society and the organizer of this conference, says that grassroots activists are carrying the burden of making change for animals and are the most valuable assets in this fight.

Please sign up soon. Besides the two day conference, one of the highlights will be a four hour sunset cruise on the Potomac on Saturday night with a three course vegan dinner, dancing and speakers. [Note: this picture shows people bathing in the water trough intended for horses.]

This is Monty, pictured here. He is enjoying himself in the snow, having a ball. He is a former rescued Boston carriage horse now living at Central New England Rescue in Massachusetts. Photo by Vicky Berry.

Max explained the first animal he saved was a cow that had escaped a slaughterhouse in Ohio. Officials caught her and wanted to return her to the slaughterhouse, but Max intervened and saved her. "People have their cats and dogs and kids have rabbits, but I fell in love with a cow," he said. "It was like saving a child. The cow went to Farm Sanctuary upstate." The portrait of Bobby II Freedom will be auctioned at a fund-raiser next week. David Garza, head of the Henry Street Settlement, said the painting could sell for more than $20,000. "The funds go directly to support programs that are more vital now than ever," Garza said. "The social services we provide are really targeted at people who are struggling to make ends meet." Garza said he will split the proceeds from the painting with Equine Advocates, an organization he hopes to work with again. "We'll be able to take young people who live in the city up to the farm to meet the horses for education and recreation opportunities," he said. "We're excited about that." As for Bobby II Freedom, he continues to spend his days "in a huge pasture with seven other geldings, enjoying being retired," Wagner said. [Note: Bobby was a joint rescue by the Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages, Equine Advocates and Friends of Animals.]

The driver should know better but apparently does not. He obviously allowed his thirsty horse to do this because he clipped the check rein back on when the horse lifted his head. But this does not mean that the communal drinking trough is much better. Similar to horses eating their grain from the street, this is an excellent way to spread disease. There are two water troughs in Central Park. Only one is now working year round. The other is generally filled with garbage. But just because it has water does not mean that it is suitable for the horses. The picture above shows people washing themselves in the trough and we have previously posted others washing their dishes. When no one is around, it is not unheard of for drunks to urinate in the trough.

Holly Cheever, DVM, who is very familiar with the NYC carriage industry, having worked as a consultant to the ASPCA in the late 80s and 1990s said in Blinders: the Truth Behind the Tradition that communal water troughs are every veterinarian's nightmare. Horses drink from this microbe laden trough and leave their own germs, which get passed on to the next horse and the ones after that. This is often the only source of water these horses have since not all drivers carry water buckets for their horses. And when they are working away from the park, in the Times Square area, for example, there is no water available for their horses at all. The only solution, of course, is to ban the industry and retire all the horses to good homes or sanctuaries.

According to Authorities, the group was crossing a creek when their carriage overturned in the water and four of the children were swept away with the carriage. Redmon said, "When they crossed the creek, the water was so swift it just took the buggy and tipped it over." [Another article indicated that the horse survived.]

For those of you who have not signed this petition, this is a synopsis: THE PROBLEM: There are over 200 horses in the NYC carriage trade. The number varies but not by much. Approximately one third falls off the Department of Health registry every year. What does this mean? When an owner decides he wants to get rid of a horse, the existing NYC administrative code is very weak in regulating how this is done. It requires that sales or transfer records be submitted to the Department of Health but only if the transaction was made WITHIN NEW YORK CITY. While this would provide some information for where the horse ended up, it is ABSURD since most of the transactions are made outside the city. The horse auctions are in Pennsylvania and upstate New York.NO ACCOUNTABILITY: In the last five years, well over 300 NYC carriage horses have disappeared from the Department of Health rolls. I have analyzed and compared information I requested from this city agency through the Freedom of Information Law. Homes were undoubtedly found for some of the horses -- the favorites. But for the vast majority, it is presumed that they went on to auction where there are many kill buyers waiting to buy horse flesh for the ride to the slaughter facilities in Canada. After all, this is the easiest and most feasible thing for an owner to do -- and the most devastating for the horse. This must be controlled by statute. The carriage owners must be held accountable for each and every horse they "dispose of". It is not enough for them to say they find homes for all of their horses. Where is the proof? I defy them to show me the good homes for the over 300 horses I mention above. In June 2010, we found Bobby at the kill auction in Pennsylvania. He was from West Side Livery stables. The ID number was still on his left front hoof - a number that is easily sanded off. WE NEED TO DO THIS NOW: We do not expect the electric car bill to move any time soon. It has been almost one year since the City Council hearing on Intro 86 and although discussed at the hearing, there is still not one model car for the people in power to consider. In the meantime, we need to shame the NYC council for supporting one of the sources for horse slaughter -- the NYC carriage industry. They can at least do the right thing now and get this bill in the works while they wait to decided what to do about an overall ban.

See our Facebook page called No Walk in the Park. And while you are there, please join another anti carriage horse page by a colleague called 212HorsePower