CARRIAGE HORSE DEMO NEXT WEEKEND
Saturday - July 23rd
Please come to a demo for the NYC carriage horses:
- When: Saturday, July 23rd at 1PM until 3PM
- Where: Meet at the north/west corner of Fifth Avenue and Central Park South (usual location)
- Sponsored By - Heart for Animals and the Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages
Hot summers are especially difficult for the carriage horses. They do not do well in heat - particularly when combined with high humidity. Carriage horse driving is suspended when the temperature reaches 90 degrees according to a special thermometer used by the ASPCA Humane Law Enforcement Officer. There is no consideration for humidity. See video below that shows a driver who defied the law.
SUPPORT THE BILL TO BAN HORSE-DRAWN CARRIAGES IN NYC
It is up to us to move this forward! - Please sign petition
The NYS State Legislature is on summer break now, but you can still contact your representatives about this bill. NYS Senator Tony Avella and Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal have introduced a bill in the state Senate to ban the horse-drawn carriage industry in NYC. Please read this article by Stephanie Feldstein at Change.org and then sign the petition, which is linked and will generate letters to state legislators.
Anyone can sign the petition. You do not have to live in New York State. People from other states and countries are encouraged to sign.
HAS YOUR LEGISLATOR RESPONDED TO YOU? If so, please send me a copy of the correspondence - to coalition@banhdc.org.
PLEASE READ THE BILL
S5013 & A7748
In the Senate, the bill is # S5013. In the Assembly, the bill is # A7748. "Prohibits the operation of horse drawn cabs in the city of New York; defines the circumstances under which sale or disposal of a horse shall be deemed humane.'Click here to read the bill.
Let me Know: Has anyone heard back from their legislators on this bill. If so, please send me a copy of the e-mail or letter at coalition@banhdc.org. I did!!! Assemblyman Danny O'Donnell said he will vote for it. Yay Danny!! I still have not heard back from Bill Perkins who is my senator. :-( Boo Bill.
E-MAILS FROM MY "FANS"
ya gotta have a sense of humor about it
We must be making progress when what we do sets some people off and they become motivated to send me a rant. I almost never respond because there is no point. But I do save them. I wanted to share a few of the better ones with you. Enjoy.
This is a recent one with the subject line "Get Out Of Town."
You know there may be an accident now and then involving a horse drawn carriage but is isn't the fault of the carriage. It is folks like yourself that DON'T PAY ANY ATTENTION when driving or these type of accidents wouldn't happen. You are texting, talking on your cell phone or just in a big hurry to go nowhere. And YEP you are the first ones to hollow get out of my way. HAY didn't you see the SLOW MOVEING triangle on the back of the carriage. I DOUBT YA DID. Carriage drivers are a lot more skilled at what they are doing than that the idiot behind the wheel that cause the accident in the first place. Carriage rides are a nice way for folks to relax and we DAMN sure don't need people like you (with nothing better to do) trying to stop what others feel is a nice way to enjoy an evening.
I will say this once "GET A LIFE" and watch where you're going. The world is full enough of weird folks and stupid drivers like YOU and we surly don't need any more with YOUR mind set. It's always the other persons fault, right??? WRONG!!!!
This one is scary: hello my name is alex noe and i was just looking at your website about banning horse drawn carriages and horse slaughter, and clearly you are very uneducated about the business aspect and money generated for the economy through horse slaughter. horses were the number one exported item even surpassing hogs and cattle. the amount of money generated through horse slaughter is astronomical. groups like you only see whats bad in this situation, like all the bad pictures and things you hear. NOT ALL PEOPLE SLAUGHTER HORSES INHUMANLY! they use the same techniques that they would use for any other livestock like chickens, cattle, and hogs, so are you saying that they should be banned from being slaughtered also? yes i understand they may be no "good" way of putting horse slughter into perspective but people need to see that it is a crucial part of agribusiness and the economy. so my question to you is why would want to ban something that is very important when you only see the bad in this?
This one has the subject line YOU ARE SO OUT OF TOUCH.: Why don't you do something worthwhile with your efforts and change the tax laws back to the way they were in the 1980's. Yes back then there was a tax deduction for horse owners for hobby losses. But some liberal do gooders like you thought that wasn't fair, and it benefitted the rich. Well duh, these were horse owners that owned horses because they loved them and were involved because of the sport.Yes,today anything involving horses is a business and has to be run like a business, with the end result turning a profit. Horses are assets now,they depreciate,and new inventory has to be updated.
What you are proposing is putting an end to worthwhile jobs and uses for these horses. Maybe you havent heard but times are tough and people dont have the acreage, time, and money to have pasture ornaments.
Change the tax laws,and let horses live the life with people who have the means and love and passion to enjoy them in any way they see fit.
and this one - bringing up the "starving children factor." I do not own a horse or carriage, but I will say if the horses are in
a country field on on the streets of any of our great cities on a
regular day the rain and heat is the same. Get real What is so funny
about you all is that is is ok for a child to go hungry or but dont
even look at an animal wrong.
Get real!!!!
A "DOCTOR" RECOMMENDS TAKING A RIDE FOR STRESS
how desperate - what will they think of next
Now for some comic relief but with serious intentions -- this video on Youtube recommends taking a carriage horse ride in NYC to relieve stress. It also suggests that it helps with fertility problems. This is supposed to be a real doctor. Click here to view it and read the comments.
We know how stressful it is for the horse, but if someone takes her advice to reduce their own stress, they might well encounter people who yell at them "shame, shame" - or "get out and walk." or worse. Or they might encounter protesters with pictures of past accidents & deaths. After the ride, they are sure to be more upset and stressed.
CHARLESTON & SAVANNAH - HISTORICAL CITIES
very hard on carriage horses
CHARLESTON: A Tradition of Cruelty: Horse-Drawn Carriages by James Sison in the Examiner - July 13, 2011. They are absolutely everywhere in downtown Charleston - horse-drawn carriages. These carriage rides have traditionally been at the top of a lot of visitors "to do" list, as a way to see the sights.
Unfortunately, there are no enforceable regulations regarding the care and treatment of these horses. With no systems set in place to track any incidents of abuse, neglect, or premature deaths. There are voluntary heat restrictions that some of the carriage companies adhere but no mandate.
Unlike Charleston, most cities that use carriage horses have city ordinances that mandate minimum standards of car for horse being used by the carriage horse industry. Continued - Click Here
SAVANNAH: Too hot for carriage horses in downtown Savannah? Tell us what you think. By Beverly English in the Examiner - July 14, 2011. Savannah has gone over 52 days in a row with 90 degree and higher temperatures with no relief in sight. It's hard enough on people, and even early in the morning, the humidity is so high that any light exertion brings on a drenching sweat, so how do the carriage horses handle the weather and are there laws that prevent them from being taken out on the streets in bad weather?
When I first started researching this article I did not expect to find all the controversy that I did. I called Parking Services first. They are in charge of regulating both tour buses and horse carriages.
My calls went into an automated system. I left my name and number, but no one ever returned my call.
Next I called three of the four carriage tour services that were in the phone book. The first group was very defensive. When I told them I wanted to get a statement on how the horses handled the heat and what their policy was on keeping horse and driver cool, they told me they could not talk to me and that was that.Continued - Click Here.
photo is of Charleston. You can help by boycotting these two cities as long as they support forced labor for carriage horses. Please add a comment at both sites.
OXFORD, ENGLAND
may bring in horse-drawn carriages - VOTE NO
Oxford in England is considering bringing in horse-carriages for tourism to work on city streets. Please VOTE NO in the online poll.
Click here.
Please add a comment while on the site.
NYC CARRIAGE DRIVER REFUSES TO STOP WORKING IN HEAT
ignored suspension while he plies his trade
This video was sent to us. It was taken last week when it was over 90 degrees. The ASPCA Humane Law Enforcement officers had suspended operation at 12:15 PM. This was taken one hour later. The driver refused to go back to the stable and continued to take customers. It was reported to the ASPCA but all they could do by law was to give the driver a warning.
Called Above the Law -- click here for the video.
NYC CARRIAGE HORSES DON'T GET WHAT THEY NEED
my article on One Green Planet
If you missed my article from last week called NYC Carriage Horses Don't Get What they Really Need - please click here. Read the comments and please add your own.
THIS JUST IN - HORSE SPOOKS ON CPS - HITS CAB
happened Saturday mid day - July 16, 2011
Today, we heard from a few people who work in the area of the hack line, including the woman who sells water and carrots to the drivers, that mid day yesterday,
a horse spooked at something and bolted, galloping from Grand Army Plaza/Fifth Avenue - up Central Park South to 7th Avenue, hitting a taxi and car on the way -totally out of control. We heard that the ASPCA van sped up the street toward 7th Avenue.
I am trying to find out more. It has been reported to a few reporters who could try to find out more and report it if they are so inclined.
This is one of the main reasons why carriage horses do not belong in a congested city. It is extremely dangerous. Horses are sensitive prey animals, which means they live by "fight or flight" when they are scared. They can spook from the slightest provocation as this one did. When they run away - you need to watch for your life if you are anywhere close. At 1,200 to 2,000 pounds, they become unwitting weapons and can injure or kill themselves or bystanders.
TAKE ACTION Please call your council member. This is the council web site --
http://council.nyc.gov/html/members/members.shtml --
For those who live outside NYC, please call Speaker Christine Quinn at (212) 564-7757 or (212) 788-7210
Tell them that the carriage horse industry must be shut down. It is unsafe and inhumane and it is only a matter of time before a person is killed. It has happened elsewhere.
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JOIN US ON FACE BOOK & SIGN ONLINE PETITION
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
"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.
