6-45/279 November 6, 2011
 
 

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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 FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES - 3 carriage horse incidents in 2 weeks ** come to our demo on Wednesday ** media coverage ** new article in One Green Planet ** video of Vigil
NOTICE: Please follow us on Twitter @BanHDCarriages

TWO MORE ACCIDENTS SINCE CHARLIE'S DEATH
NYC fails its carriage horses
Charlie - death 10-23-11 The vigil for Charlie was a resounding success. 100 activists joined the candle light vigil standing in solidarity with each other. Yet three hours after we remembered Charlie's life on Central Park South, another horse - name unknown - spooked on that street, bolting and tearing into traffic until he crashed his empty carriage and fell in the park off 7th Avenue. I learned of this the next day through an e-mail from a tourist.

The picture of Charlie went viral. It was a very poignant image of a downed, once powerful horse. So final. These are some of the stories before the necropsy results were published. Photo copyright by Matthew Miller.

These are some of the stories in response to the necropsy.

SUPPORT BILL TO BAN HORSE-DRAWN CARRIAGES IN ALBANY
Sign petition but also call your representative
Please help us make this petition viral. Sign it if you have not done so already and pass it on to friends and colleagues.Click Here.

The bill to ban horse-drawn carriages in NYC is S5013 in the NYS Senate and A7748 in the NYS Assembly. It is referred to as the bill that PROHIBITS THE OPERATION OF HORSE DRAWN CABS IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK.

  • IN ADDITION TO SIGNING THE PETITION - PLEASE CALL YOUR REPRESENTATIVES.
  • Senate - Click here for the Senate site; find your Senator and call the district/local office.
  • Assembly - Click here for the Assembly site, find your Assemblymember and call the district office
  • Everyone has one Senator and one Assemblymember representing them.

For all those who live outside NYS, you may call these offices and show your support as tourists:

  • Senator Tony Avella - 1-718-357-3094
  • Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal - 1-212-873-6368
  • Let them know that you are a potential tourist to NYC and that you support their bill to ban horse-drawn carriages.

HORSE SPOOKS ON CENTRAL PARK SOUTH 10-28-11
bolts and runs frantically down the street until he crashes and falls
10-28 -11 accident Just as with Charlie, the Coalition learned of this incident through caring eye witnesses -- one a tourist, the other a New Yorker. It was only because of the latter's photo that it became believable to the press and it was picked up by Channel 2, Horse Talk in New Zealand and Metro.US. It happened around 11PM on October 28th, just three hours after our vigil for Charlie.

photo copyright Scott Graham

NOT AGAIN - CARRIAGE HORSE COLLAPSES 60TH ST. 11-4-11
in front of the Oriental Mandarin Hotel - His name is Luke
11-4-11 - horse collapse Just one week after the nameless horse spooks on Central Park South, another horse collapses on 60th St. off Broadway in front of the Oriental Mandarin Hotel on Friday night, November 4th.

  • Industry: the Horse and Carriage Association claims that because the horses were mostly not working last week since the park was closed due to storm damage, Luke was "frisky" and bucked, tripping and falling when his leg got tangled in the equipment.
  • Coalition: This is a very creative excuse and does not hold water. Luke was cold and tired after working nine hours pulling tourists around Central Park. He was on his way back to the stable. It is hard to believe anyone could be frisky after that. He collapsed and stayed down for 15 minutes according to media reports. He was so still that some thought he was dead.
  • ASPCA: the ASPCA performed a cursory exam on Luke and said he was fit to return to work.
  • Coalition: The ASPCA most likely did not perform blood tests or do x-rays - so what kind of shoddy exam was that?! We are very disappointed in the ASPCA. Their reaction to the necropsy of Charlie was impressive and made us all wonder if they had finally grown a backbone. Pam Corey, their equine vet, is even quoted as saying that many of the horses look worse after they return from their vacations than when they left. We would like to have an explanation of that statement and to know what they are doing about it - but we suspect those who were outspoken at the ASPCA were slapped down.

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH: RALLY AGAINST HORSE-DRAWN CARRIAGE TRADE
Wednesday evening - 11/9/11
Join activists this Wednesday evening to demand an end to the inhumane and unsafe carriage trade. Everyone is invited as we stand in solidarity for the horses. Participating to date are the Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages, In Defense of Animals, Win Animal Rights, Friends of Animals NYC/NJ (FAUN), Animal Freedom International, Friends of Animals and 212Horse Power.

  • When: Wednesday Nov. 9th at 6:30 pm
  • Where: north/west corner CPS & Fifth Avenue
  • What: a rally against the inhumane & unsafe carriage trade and a tourist hotel crawl (like a pub crawl without alcohol). We will visit hotels on Central Park South, the Oriental Mandarin, where Luke Collapsed, and then on to hotels on Broadway and 7th Avenue -- letting tourist know that there is no romance in the cruel horse-drawn carriage trade.

Council Member Tony Avella and Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal have been invited and we hope their schedule allows them to attend.

VIDEO OF CANDLE LIGHT VIGIL FOR CHARLIE
This is a video made by Pity the Horses - of the vigil for Charlie Horse. Click Here.

WE ARE THE 75 PERCENTERS
who want a ban on horse-drawn carriages
Every poll I have seen in the last six years that asks about banning the carriage industry has shown at least 75% of the respondents favoring a ban. The most recent is from the Wall Street Journal and asked the question - Should New York City ban horse-drawn carriages?

The results were 76.2% YES and 23.8 NO.

CHANGE.ORG BOGUS PETITION HAS DECEIVED SOME
don't sign this petition
There is a petition on change.org entitled "Save the NYC Carriage Horses and Industry." Many people think that it is to get rid of the industry and have signed it.

This petition violates the principles of Change.org, which is a platform for social justice and animal advocacy.

IF YOU SEE SOMETHING - SAY SOMETHING
Be our eyes and ears
If you see a carriage horse incident, please notify [email protected].
  • Take pictures (crucial) - videos or stills
  • Record exact location of accident - ex. - north/west corner of 60th St. and Broadway
  • Get 4-digit license plate number from back of carriage
  • Provide a narrative - description of what happened
  • Note: don't worry if you are not sure if what you saw was illegal. We will figure it out. The most important thing is to get the information to us.

You will help to make a difference for these horses.

NEW YORK CITY FAILS ITS CARRIAGE HORSES
new article on One Green Planet
Please see my new article on One Green Planet in response to the recent accidents. Click here - and leave a comment.

HELP OUR ORGANIZATION BY SHOPPING ON LINE
igive Through a free registration with iGive, when you buy merchandise on line, your purchase will help us. There are over 700 stores that include such popular ones as Amazon.com, Staples, Best Buy and Barnes & Nobles. Even Cafe Press is available if you purchase some of our merchandise. Click here to get started.

JOIN US ON FACEBOOK & SIGN ONLINE PETITION
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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 . Horses Without Carriages International also has a Facebook page. Please join!

"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.