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 ** ** Please help people and animals - victims of Hurricane Sandy's aftermath ** Help Puerto Rico's cats ** Horses Without Carriages Day ** Bahamas & Cozumel ** Another carriage accident in NYC **
AFTERMATH OF SANDY
NYS and NJ still need lots of help
Although this newsletter focuses on the carriage horse issue primarily, because it reaches so many people, I am using it to get the word out to help people and animals who were affected by Hurricane Sandy. However, we will never forget the carriage horses who suffer their own special misery - more on those issues after this.
These are some links for volunteering and donating:
FUND RAISERS FOR ANIMAL RESCUE GROUPS
affected by Hurricane Sandy
There are two benefits for NYC animal rescue groups on Wednesday and Thursday of this week. The one pictured here is on Wednesday, Nov. 14th - but there is also one on Thursday Nov. 15th - both hosted by Harris Bloom. This is a great opportunity to laugh and have fun with friends but also help animals - we all need it after what NYC has been through.
The second one is Thursday, Nov. 15th, 8 PM Broadway Comedy Club 318 W. 53rd St. - They will be raising funds for Adopt NY's Hurricane Relief Fund. Please make a reservation at 212-757-2323. There is a $20 cover (plus two-drink min) at both shows.
If you cannot attend but would like to donate - you may use PayPal at this link http://www.stewietotherescue.org/
or if you want to write a check - send to:
Stewie to the Rescue
c/o Harris Bloom
280 Riverside Drive Apt 4G
NY, NY 10025
All groups are 501-c-3s. Harris will total the donations and split among the organizations. Please mark that it is for "helping with Sandy."
HELP HOMELESS CATS IN PUERTO RICO
please chip-in what you can
I set up a Chip-In page to help Glen Venezio who is has been an angel to the cats of Puerto Rico. For the past five years, he has been feeding the stray cats on this beautiful island, leaving his home at 4am every day. He takes care of about 150 cats in Santurce and Isla Verde. It is exhausting work and very expensive but he is totally committed. It takes him 6-7 hours each day, lugging around heavy bags of food. It does not matter to Glen whether it is raining or if he is not feeling well he is always thinking of the cats and how they depend on him. Over the years, he has also brought attention to the cruelty perpetrated on these cats by getting the police involved or by just being a presence. Through no fault of their own, these cats are in dire need of help.
The adoption rates for street animals in Puerto Rico is dismal and because many of the cats are not socialized, most of the shelters will kill them immediately. The cats depend on Glen for food, for affection (those that allow it) and for some level of protection and quality of life. These are links from Glen Venezio's Facebook albums of the cats - I hope you can see them.
- http://tinyurl.com/olq96p
- http://tinyurl.com/y2un66r
Glen depends on the goodness of people who care about these cats to help him buy food. I believe in Glen and I want to help him so I have created this Chip-In page. Please help him and these wonderful homeless cats by chipping in what you can. Click here. Thank you.
PROTEST HORSE-DRAWN CARRIAGES IN NYC
Saturday, November 24th
The period between Thanksgiving and the end of the year is very busy for the horse-drawn carriage trade. We will be holding more demos at the hack line, which we will announce in the newsletter, on Facebook and on our web site.
- WHEN: Saturday November 24th - 12:30-2:30
- WHERE: north side - Central Park South near Fifth Avenue.
Bring yourself and friends and dress warmly . We will have posters but always welcome your creativity if you want to bring your own.
HORSES WITHOUT CARRIAGES INTERNATIONAL DAY
Saturday December 1st
Saturday December 1st is Horses Without Carriages International Day when we stand in solidarity with activists around the world who are working to shut down this inhumane and unsafe trade. We are working out the details of what we plan to do this year.
If you live in a city that supports this inhumane carriage trade and want to do something about it - here are some suggestions:
- Are there any animal rights groups in your city? Contact them to see if they want to work on a campaign.
- If there are none - set up a Meet Up for like minded people.
- Write a letter to the editor of a local newspaper about this issue
- If you want to do a bit more and have a few people to help, create a few posters and flyers to hand out to tourists.
ANOTHER CARRIAGE HORSE ACCIDENT IN NYC
occurred about 8:30 pm on November 4th
Yes another carriage accident. This time it was reported to us immediately by an eye witness who said a "horse carriage was just hit by a car on Central Park South , right across from the Ritz Carlton. The horse is OK but major damage to car and carriage; Carriage license #1023."
We believe that there are many more accidents that happen and if it were not for eye witnesses who tell us - we would not know. We have asked the ASPCA to release this information but they refuse to. The public has a right to know. This image is from the NYC Manual for Carriage Operators. They are not required to report an accident. Police presence at the scene of one of these accidents does not guarantee that a report will be filed.
SERGEANT RECKLESS
a real war and work horse
NY Times - Remembering a Beloved Horse and Decorated Marine - by Corey Kilgannon -11/9/12. This is a lovely story about Sergeant Reckless, a
a Mongolian mare who won two Purple Hearts and earned the rank of staff sergeant for carrying ammunition in battle in the Korean War. The unit in which she served fell in love with her. She was eventually brought to the US and retired. to California.
TWO TRAGEDIES - BAHAMAS & COZUMEL
both need to ban this inhumane business
BAHAMAS - Horse's Death May Have Been Caused By Age. A 22 year-old mare named Bloody Mary collapsed and died in the Bahamas while pulling a tourist carriage. From the article: President of the Bahamas Humane Society, Kim Aranha, also weighed in on the horse's death and hinted that the incident could be related to alleged poor working conditions for carriage horses.
"We have been trying to improve the conditions that these poor animals work in, for years," she said. "The conditions are appalling."
She added the Bahamas Humane Society is "unequivocally opposed" to surrey horses, stating: "This is 2012 and there is no place for horse driven carriages in the city of Nassau."
COZUMEL - Our contact in Cozumel tells us in this lovely paradise a carriage horse named Pyt fainted from exhaustion and had to be given a shot to bring him back. She reported that she then heard on the news that the horse died .
HELP OUR ORGANIZATION BY SHOPPING ON LINE
Also check out Cafe Press to purchase CBHDC merchandise
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 & Noble. Even Cafe Press is available if you purchase some of our merchandise. Click here to get started.
On iGive - 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.
"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.
