6-50/284 December 11, 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

BUSY WEEK FOR THE BAN CARRIAGE HORSE ISSUE
Lots of media coverage
12-4-11 accident Last Sunday, another carriage horse collapsed. We have no information on the horse's condition. These are some examples of coverage this week:

Please note:

  • The picture above is of the horse who collapsed last Sunday. He did not get up on his own as some of the news outlets were reporting. The video proves this. However, the handlers pulled him up by his bit and bridle - undoubtedly very painful. They should have disconnected him from the carriage, which they did not do, removed his bit and bridle and then put a halter over his head to help pull him up. They did not do this at all. Yes - these folks really know their horses. And Michael Vick really knew his dogs.
  • The photo below is from the NY Times article. It shows the horse in typical heavy NYC traffic. But notice also that the driver is holding a handheld device and appears to be texting. Drivers often do this and are not ticketed. As of last year, they are now required to have a NYS Driver License, although those who did not were grandfathered in. It is against the law in NYS for drivers to use a handheld device to phone or text while driving.

CARRIAGE HORSE INDUSTRY - CRUEL & INHUMANE
op-ed in NY Daily News - 12/7/11
ny times article 12-11 My op-ed was published in the NY Daily News this past week. The carriage horse industry is cruel, inhumane: This is no way to treat animals -- It's time for a ban - BY Elizabeth Forel - 12/7/11. They have no voice and no choice. They are New York City carriage horses. Sweet, docile animals, they work nine hours a day, seven days a week, between the shafts of their carriage, in dangerous traffic. After a long day's work, they return to a cramped stable. Dirty and sweaty, many of them are not cleaned up for the night. And in the morning, they begin another dreary day. While working, they have no access to a pasture where they can run, buck and roll. It is particularly sad to see them pulling carriages through the park encumbered by equipment and blinders, barely able to get a glimpse of the grass that is denied to them. Although there were three reported carriage horse accidents in July, things did not heat up again until Oct. 23, when a carriage horse named Charlie collapsed and died on W. 54th St. at the start of his workday. The image of that beautiful white horse was heartrending. Although a cause of death has not yet been determined, the preliminary necropsy report indicated he may well have been suffering for some time from painful stomach ulcers and a fractured tooth. That incident was followed by another horse who spooked on Oct. 28, bolting into traffic on Central Park South and crashing in the park off Seventh Ave. Then, on Nov. 4, a horse named Luke fell on W. 60th St. on his way back to the stables. He stayed down for 15 minutes.

As the debate about whether to ban the use of horses to pull carriages continued, yet another horse collapsed on 59th St. on Dec. 4 while pulling a carriage full of tourists - including small children. Fortunately, no one, including the horse, was hurt. All this underscores just how overworked horses are during the holiday season, when tourists line up to take a carriage ride. Although the law requires a 15-minute break every two hours, it is impossible to enforce and highly unlikely that the horse gets a break when there are customers waiting. As a consequence, the horses get used up quickly. There is something about the sight of a helpless horse lying in the filthy street that resonates deeply with people. It is an experience that plays on our collective unconscious guilt, suggesting that we all somehow share the responsibility that allowed this majestic animal to be put into servitude to entertain people. To make matters worse, horses are not covered by the Animal Welfare Act, a federal law. Under New York State law, animal cruelty against cats and dogs can be a felony, but it remains a misdemeanor for horses, because they are considered livestock.

Although horse meat is not eaten in the U.S., horses still go on auction, where they may be sold to satisfy the need for horseflesh in many European countries - about 100,000 horses a year meet this fate. City law does not provide protection from this horror, despite a push for legislation that puts "retired" horses in sanctuaries, not slaughterhouses. Most unsettling is how relief for New York's carriage horses depends solely on the good graces of two people - Mayor Bloomberg and City Council Speaker Christine Quinn (D-Manhattan) - who have demonstrated that the horses are not a priority by publicly speaking out in support of the industry. The carriage trade is banned in cities ranging from London and Toronto to New Delhi and Beijing. New York City needs to follow - its citizens demand as much. The most recent online poll from the Daily News, for example, resulted in 85% of respondents voting in favor of a ban. Every similar poll in New York since 2006 has shown that at least 75% of respondents are in favor of abolishing this industry. In a democracy, that should count for something. In New York City, it may mean nothing at all. Forel is president of the Coalition for New York City Animals. ( Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages)

WE NEED YOUR PRESENCE AT THE HACK LINE
our next demo is Saturday, December 17th at 1pm
demo The holiday season is the busiest for the carriage trade. During the year, it is not unusual to see the carriages idling, waiting for a fare. But during this time of year, tourists who do not know any better line up. This is where you come in. Please commit to attend at least one demo (and hopefully more) at least in the next several weeks
  • Saturdays: December 10, 17, 24 (New Year's Eve and Day are possibilities)
  • Time: always 1pm to 3pm
  • Where: north/west corner of Central Park South (59th St.) and 5th Avenue -- on the side where the carriages pick up passengers

We know that everyone is busy now, but please give some time to the horses - they and we need you! We cannot make a difference without you. All you have to do is show up!! There will be demos on Saturday sponsored by the Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages and on Sunday sponsored by Win Animal Rights. Ours are from 1 to 3. Theirs generally start at 2pm. Please give a few hours to either or both. Posters and flyers are provided.

SUPPORT NY STATE BILL TO BAN HORSE-DRAWN CARRIAGES
Please sign petition and call your representative
weary horse Hooves and fingers crossed, but we think this petition has gone viral!!! As of this morning we had 106,401 signatures in support of this bill -- almost 29,000 signatures more than last week! So PLEASE sign it if you have not done so already and pass it on to friends and colleagues.Click Here to Sign Petition.

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, please 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.

NY TIMES: CARRIAGE HORSES WILL GO TO SLAUGHTER -- (NOT TRUE)
read the truth below that the Times knew about but did not print
I was glad to see the NY Times article by Emily Hager on the front page of the Times last week. I had some reservations, however, and considering that I spent a lot of time with Emily providing her with information, I am amazed that she ended the article with this tired, old and cheap scare tactic, which is simply not true: "If we banned the carriage horse industry tomorrow, they would go straight to slaughter," said Dr. Nena Winand, an upstate New York veterinarian who is a member of the American Society of Equine Practitioners. "There is no big field out there, there is no one to pay the bills."

Huge Turnover in Industry - I have been doing research on carriage horse statistics since 2005, getting horse lists from the Department of Heath and comparing them with each other. I have analyzed them for seven years and have determined that an average of 60 to 70 horses disappear off the rolls of the horse registry each year. Because there currently is no protection in the law , it is not known where the horses ended up -- the auctions and then slaughter? a nice home? Records are not required to be submitted to the DoH if the horse is sold outside NYC as most are. Please read my article New Council Bill Will Prevent Carriage Horses From Going to Kill Auctions.

This is a tired scare tactic argument that we have heard too many times. So it is surprising that the NY Times fell for this transparent drivel. All bills that are being considered in NYC and NYS have a special clause that would protect the horses from going to auction. At my request, Council Member Melissa Mark Viverito introduced a stand alone version of the Disposition Section called Intro 670 and we planned a press conference for Tuesday, September 20th. At 5pm the night before -- after I had alerted everyone to come to the event - I learned that Speaker Christine Quinn canceled the conference with no good reason. As a supporter of this trade, i have to assume that she did not want me telling the truth about the high turnover of horses and the very real possibility that they go to slaughter. As for what will happen to the ones that are left when this industry is banned - besides the ASPCA's claim that they have homes - many sanctuaries and individuals have contacted me and said they would help. The eyes of the world are on NYC concerning this issue and when the big day comes , I am very confident people will step up.

CHARLIE HORSE "DOG" TAGS FOR SALE
remember Charlie and help our organization
horse tag Charlie Horse died on October 23rd. He just dropped dead on W. 54th Street. While the cause of death is still unknown, his demise resonated with so many people throughout the world. Please remember him - the latest victim of this inhumane business.

We are selling Horse Tags to help us raise some needed funds and to remember Charlie. It reads

  • CHARLIE
  • 10-23-11 R.I.P.
  • NEW YORK CITY
  • CARRIAGE HORSE
  • WWW.BANHDC.ORG
The Horse Tag is shiny aluminum with a long chain. You can either wear it around your neck or put it on a key chain. We are asking $10, including postage. Please go to our donation page by clicking here. You can pay by check or use Paypal. Please indicate that it is for the Charlie Tag. One of our board members has volunteered to take this project on and send out the tags so you will be sure to get them. :-) . Thank you M.

VOLUNTEERS - WE NEED YOUR HELP
events and research
RESEARCH: I am looking for one or two people who can do some Internet research. It requires knowledge of Excel and converting lists to CSV. If you are interested, this could be an ongoing project involving the state legislature and the Avella/Rosenthal bill.

ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES THIS HOLIDAY SEASON -- we are planning some additional events this holiday season in the evening - dates not selected yet. Please get in touch with me if you are interested. No details will be published. E-mail me at [email protected].

Because the carriage industry tries to infiltrate what we are doing -- including reading this newsletter (Hi Eva) if you are interested in getting more involved, you will need to be known either by me or someone I know. Thanks for your understanding.

PLEASE LISTEN TO THIS GREAT SONG
A Brian Gari tribute to the carriage horse (a must see)
horse tied up A beautiful, poignant song about a carriage horse's dreams -- called Horse of a Different Color. Thanks to singer, songwriter Brian Gari for this sensitive tribute. Please click here to see and hear this heartbreaking, but beautiful song.

SOCIAL MEDIA
Yes we are on Twitter and Facebook -- please join us
We are also in the middle of getting our web site revamped so do not have links to Facebook and Twitter -- but we do have very active accounts. Both Facebook and Twitter are great complements to our weekly e-newsletter and we encourage you to participate with us. Are you on Twitter? If not -- it is easy to sign up. Click here. The Coalition tweets, and we've had a great response. This is a way to stay in touch with us, in real time. We encourage all to "follow" us on Twitter @BanHDCarriages. We'll keep you up to date about accidents, events, demonstrations, actions we'd like you to take, and other ways to help. The messages are short - only 140-characters maximum.

Our official Facebook page is No Walk in the Park. It is an open page and we invite you to "Like" us. We generally post news there as it comes in. We have another page called Horses Without Carriages International, which is tied in with our international coalition

REPORT HORSE INCIDENTS - 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. The media learned of six of the last seven accidents from us - the Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages. And we learned about it from you!! It makes sense that the DoH and ASPCA know about more -- we have requested this information from both the ASPCA and the DoH and we are still waiting. The public has a right to know just how unsafe and inhumane this industry is.

EMPTY WATER TROUGH AT HACK LINE YESTERDAY
it has ASPCA inscription
aspca trough Central Park has two water troughs -- one off Sixth Avenue and one near Fifth Avenue. The latter one has been turned off for the season. What is so ironic is that it is inscribed to the ASPCA. And no - for the time we were there yesterday, with the horses being worked hard without a break, we did not see any Humane Law Enforcement officers. No one was enforcing any law.

HELP OUR ORGANIZATION BY SHOPPING ON LINE
Also check out Cafe Press to purchase CBHDC merchandise
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.

We also have three stores on Cafe Press. Purchasing this merchandise helps our organization. Click here.

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.