Horses continue to fall through the cracks on their way to the auctions and the industry has no accountability. We want accountability for the horses now and we must bring attention to this issue and take it out from behind closed doors. There is a very high turnover and approximately 60-70 horses disappear off the Department of Health horse registry each year. Bobby's Bill seeks to change that. For more information and to sign our petition, please click here to take you to Change.org.

For those who do not know, the bill is named after Bobby II Freedom, a NYC carriage horse that we rescued from the slaughter auctions, along with Equine Advocates and Friends of Animals last June, 2010. Bobby is currently living at the Equine Advocates Sanctuary and is much loved. From Susan of EA: "June 25th has been designated as Bobby's Re-Birthday. -- to celebrate his rebirth as a free man!" We will be celebrating this glorious event at the AFS conference described below.

I will be on a panel about Horses called Horse exploitation: The Great Betrayal, speaking about the carriage horse issue. Speakers include:

• John Holland / Equine Welfare Alliance - horse slaughter
• Laura Allen / Animal Law Coalition - wild mustang issue
• Stuart Chaifetz / Shark - horses in rodeos
• Elizabeth Forel / Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages - carriage horses
• Allen, Forel, Holland -- Political Activism for Horses
• The Horses of San Barnabe

Other panels sound very engaging and include fur bearing animals, empowering the grass roots animal rights movement; companion animals; and art & media to raise AR awareness. I hope to see you there. We have several people going from NYC - if you want to join us, let me know.

Twice a year - the first Saturday in June and the first Saturday in December - we stand in solidarity with each other for the horses. This year it will be on Saturday, June 4th. Please save the date -- more details to follow. The picture above is from a demonstration in Dublin.

I recently came across an article that was produced in April on a radio website Called Horse Carriages in NYC - Animal Week on BTR. The article is not a bad addition to the body of material on the carriage horse debate. However, I take issue with a few things - notably this comment -- because it is not true and insults my intelligence: "The horses must be given rest breaks during work and be watered, fed, have [a] clean and well-fitting harness and be provided with food and water," says Dr. Pamela Corey, DVM, and Director of Equine Veterinary Services for the ASPCA's Humane Law Enforcement Department. This statement suggests that they not only must be - but are. The law requires the horses to have a 15 minute break every two hours of working time. They are legally allowed to be worked nine hours a day. There is NO WAY for the limited ASPCA HLE agents to enforce this law and it is disingenuous for an ASPCA representative to claim this as a given. I have spent time at the hackline documenting that this does not happen. It is simply impossible. If given the choice of a customer or a break for his horse, a driver will take the one that puts money in his pocket. A horse is not taking a break when he is waiting for a customer. And let's not forget the fact that in the winter months, they do not have access to at least one water trough in Central Park and NONE when they travel in the Times Square area. (picture above: are these horses taking a "break" or waiting for a customer?)

The day after our Horses Without Carriages event is the first ever Our Planet. Theirs Too event in Union Square. It will be held on June 5, 2011 from 12-4 pm on the north side of Union Square, NYC, which is actually 17th St. From the website: You are invited to participate in an historic event, to commemorate the billions of animals who suffer and die at the hands of humanity, and to embrace an alternative vision for life on planet Earth for all of its species. The event will begin with a collective requiem ceremony, and end with a festival of food, displays and other attractions, encouraging the public to join our vision by adopting an animal and planet-friendly lifestyle.

Cat & Dog Adoptions: This is a new web site - I Adopted My Pet - that donates 20% of their sales to animal rescue groups. Wear the Cat or Dog adoption t-shirt proudly.

If you would like to donate to this cause, please click here. Please note that the amount is in New Zealand dollars but is converted to US dollars. Because time was running out, HorseTalk underwrote the cost of saving Cusack but it is hoped others will chip in. The Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages has contributed to this wonderful effort. His new home in Kansas, which is pictured in the article, looks like a safe haven. Thank you Robin for making his rescue possible. (this is Cusack in the kill pen.)

This is just the latest story about a carriage horse spooking. It happened in Bermuda on May 5th. Click here for the story.

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