6-51/285 December 18, 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 & COLLEAGUES: this week ** carriage horses & horse slaughter ** Demos next week ** EForel radio interview ** Media coverage ** Support state bill ** Song - Horse of a Different Color ** Charlie Tags ** Equine Advocates Holiday Poem ** Empty Water trough again ** Reporting an incident ** Breaking News - carriage horse drops dead in New Orleans **

NYC CARRIAGE HORSES & HORSE SLAUGHTER
What will happen to the horses if there is a ban?
horse We never would have started this campaign in 2006 if we had not considered the welfare of the horses. Yet, no matter how often i have answered this question, and the fact that it is addressed on our web site, it still comes up. So I will answer it again. "What will happen to the horses if there is a ban? Won't they go to slaughter?" For a better understanding, please also read my article on One Green Planet - New Council Bill Will Prevent Carriage Horses From Going to Kill Auctions

HORSES ARE NOT A BILLBOARD: This question appears to be a knee jerk reaction to scare tactics put out by the industry mixed with a genuine concern for the horses. There is an unconscious assumption that the horse population is stagnant - like a billboard - never changing. But the truth is that there is a huge turnover of horses in the business - about 1/3 - 60-70 each year. I know this because I have been analyzing horse lists received from the Department of Health since 2005. I compare the lists and determine what horses are no longer in the business and who is new. The average yearly turnover over one year is 60-70 horses.

THE REAL HIDDEN PROBLEM: The second part of this topic is that horses sold outside of NYC (most are) currently have no protection under the law. Records are not required to be sent to the Department of Health so it is not known where the horses end up. It is very possible many are brought to auction since that is the easiest and fastest way to recoup the cost of the horse and purchase a new one. Kill buyers frequent auctions such as New Holland in Pennsylvania. So the question people should actually be asking is - What is happening to the horses NOW?. -- Not what will happen to the horses if there is a ban.

OUR SOLUTION: Every piece of legislation that has been introduced into the City Council or the NYS legislature addresses this issue by changing the Disposition section of the existing law. Records would be required to be submitted to the Department of Health and the owner required to either adopt his horse to a responsible owner or sanctuary. Nothing else is allowed. Click on this link to Intro 670 - the stand alone bill. This exact language can be found in the NYC bill - Intro 86A - and the NY State bill - S5013 and A7748. If a horse does end up at a kill auction, it is the OWNER - not activists who brought him there. Owners currently should do everything in their power to find a good home for the horses they get rid of - but do they? Our bill would require them to be accountable. PLEASE SHARE THIS INFORMATION!!

MEDIA COVERAGE THIS WEEK
The carriage horse issue continues to be in the news - VOTE in Poll
rina and ardele
  • NYC Carriage Horses: Politics, Cruelty and Hope - Opposing Views - Phyllis M Daugherty - 12/12/11
  • Retire the Carriage Horses - Zoe: Its Our Nature - 12/14/11 - Michael Mountain
  • Necropsy Shows No Cause Of Death For Charlie The Carriage Horse - Gothamist - 12/17/11
  • PATCH ASKS: Ban Horse Carriages? Bayside Patch - 12/15/11
    • Note: The article from Opposing Views is an absolute must read. Finally someone has the guts to speak the truth. Please read the comments also.
    • The Bayside Patch (above) is conducting a poll. Vote YES to ban the industry in NYC.

    Please consider commenting on the blogs after the articles -- and the one after my radio interview. The drivers always do.

    DEMOS AT THE HACK LINE - NEXT WEEK - THE HORSES NEED YOU!
    Please join us!!
    brian 1 We need your help. 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 for a ride. This is where you come in.
    • When: Thursday, December 22nd and Friday, December 23rd; Saturday, December 24th
    • Time: Thursday & Friday night - 6:30 to 8:30 pm; Saturday - 1 to 3 pm
    • 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!! Posters and flyers are provided. Please forward this message and bring friends and colleagues.

    SUPPORT NY STATE BILL TO BAN HORSE-DRAWN CARRIAGES
    Please sign petition and call your representative
    donny rina This petition has gone viral!!! As of this morning we had 110,649 signatures in support of the state bill -- about 4,000 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.

    RADIO INTERVIEW ON PURE IMAGINATION
    Elizabeth Forel on carriage horse issue
    weary horse Please Click Here to hear my December 9th interview on Pure Imagination -- a radio show co-hosted by Rachel Trachtenberg.and Julie Cumming.

    Thanks Rachel, Julie and Tina for giving me the opportunity to speak about this issue.

    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 remains 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.

    EQUINE ADVOCATES HOLIDAY POEM
    featuring Bobby II Freedom
    "'Twas the Day Before New Year's at Equine Advocates Farm" - A Holiday Poem & Slide Show from Equine Advocates starring Bobby II Freedom, the former New York City carriage horse rescued from slaughter in 2010 by the Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages & Equine Advocates. Visit www.equineadvocates.org to learn more about the organization, the sanctuary, the cruel urban carriage horse trade, the horrors of horse slaughter and other important equine issues.

    Happy Holidays to Susan, Karen, Bobby II Freedom and all the other wonderful equines at their sanctuary.

    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.

    AGAIN - EMPTY WATER TROUGH AT HACK LINE YESTERDAY
    it has ASPCA inscription
    aspca trough Last week we reported that the water trough off Fifth Avenue was empty. Well it was empty again on Saturday. Central Park has two water troughs -- the other is off Sixth Avenue. The Fifth Avenue one has been turned off for the season. What is so ironic is that it is inscribed to the ASPCA. Again, there was a total absence of ASPCA Humane Law Officers to enforce the laws.

    A couple of years ago, both the ASPCA and NY Class donated water to fill up the empty troughs. Why have they discontinued this? It is shameful. Horses need water even more in the winter months. If someone can get a message to either of these two organizations, please let them know that the horses need water. One trough is not enough.

    ALSO - Please call 311 and complain. Do not let them tell you to call the ASPCA. This is the trough closer to Fifth Avenue.

    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.

    On I-Give - the name of our organization is "The Coalition for NYC Animals, Inc. ." We also have three stores on Cafe Press with great t-shirts, bags, hats, mugs, mouse pads, etc. . Purchasing this merchandise helps our organization. Click here.

    JUST IN: NEW ORLEANS CARRIAGE HORSE (OR MULE) DROPS DEAD ON STREET
    New Orleans dead carriage horse Not much is known at this point. Information received through Facebook. Activists are talking about a demonstration tonight. Another inhumane trade. It is hard to tell but I believe the horse is all white like Charlie. The carriage drivers must play down these all too common tragedies.

    The drivers lost their compassion (if they ever had it) many years ago. They are dead inside -- like these dead horses, who to them, are just animals to be used and abused. We make posters of accident pictures to educate people - to let them know what their support of this industry has done to these magnificent creatures. The drivers say we like our "horse porn. " Sick? You betcha. Leave it to their disturbed minds to reduce the life of a horse to the gutter. But it says far more about them than us. Bestiality?

    "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.