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 **
UPDATE ON CARRIAGE HORSE DEMOS
next one is Sunday December 22, 2013
Our demo scheduled for Saturday December 14th was canceled because of inclement weather. The ASPCA Humane Law Enforcement Officers suspended the carriage trade. But faithful advocates came out anyway. Here are three of them.
NEXT WEEK: Please join the Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages to educate tourists about this dangerous and inhumane business and why it must be shut down:
- WHEN: Sunday December 22nd - 1 to 3 pm
- WHERE: South/west corner of Central Park South and Fifth Avenue - near hack line
ALDF FILES SUIT AGAINST NYPD FOR FAILURE TO COMPLY
no records? seriously doubt that
ALDF held a press conference on Thursday, December 12th in NYC at which they announced they had filed a petition with the New York Supreme Court asking the court to force the New York Police Department (NYPD) to turn over enforcement records regarding the city's horse-drawn carriage industry. Joining them was Senator Tony Avella a long time supporter of a ban on horse-drawn carriages.
This is from ALDF's blog Shut Down NYC's Carriage Industry. "ALDF contends that the carriage industry suffers from gross under-regulation, and notes evidence-from the Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages-of a pattern of industry violations that disregard regulations designed to protect horse welfare and safety."
"Since October 2012, ALDF has filed numerous public records requests under New York's Freedom of Information Law (FOIL)-the NY state equivalent of the federal Freedom of Information Act-as part of a long-term investigation of the horse carriage industry. In particular, ALDF has requested records concerning NYPD's obligation to enforce regulations under the City's health and consumer affairs codes, the State's anti-cruelty code, and any other laws and regulations respecting the protection of the health, safety and well-being of carriage horses. NYPD claims it has no such records despite evidence of a pattern and practice of ongoing violations. Winston & Strawn is providing pro bono legal assistance for the petitioners."
WE ARE RUNNING NYC BUS ADS
Please DONATE to our campaign
This month, we are running ads on the backs of 80 public transit buses in Manhattan, spending just about all of our funds. The ads began on December 1st. Here is a picture of one taken today. This past year, because of your generosity, we were able to run ads for several months in local papers. Many people contacted us because of these ads -- it was very apparent in the increase in "likes" on our Facebook page - No Walk in the Park. PLEASE LET US KNOW IF YOU SEE THE AD AND SNAP A PICTURE FOR US - coalition@banhdc.org
Please consider donating to our ban horse-drawn carriage campaign to help us continue to do things like this. We are all volunteer and do not pay any salaries. Every donation received goes into the organization for our newsletter, posters, flyers and advertising. We also donate to horse rescues who are supportive of a ban on NYC's horse-drawn carriages and special equine need cases. Click here to donate.
ANIMALS MATTER DECEMBER 7TH RALLY
great message from Senator Tony Avella
Last week we reported on our December 7th Animals Matter event at City Hall. We did not have this video at the time. Thanks to Linda Obuchoska and Mark Brady. Click here.
ABOUT JOBS
from last week but worth repeating
The job issue deserves some realistic and serious discussion. Many people have lost their jobs in NYC - ranging from city workers, corporate workers, and those who lost their jobs due to redevelopment and gentrification of neighborhoods. Consider the small business owner who ran a coffee shop and because his landlord decided to sell to a developer, he is put out of business and needs to find something else. The man who lost his store is not promised a new location or another business. He had to figure it out for himself. It is the same with people who lose their jobs working for a company. They need to find another one because no one is there to baby them along. It is not pleasant but it is a fact of life. None of these people had a new industry created for them.
Yet the carriage drivers, who have enjoyed an entitled existence and favoritism from past administrations , (very low insurance rates; subsidized stable rents) have turned down two proposals - the electric cars and retrofitted carriages. They refuse to understand or accept that their obsolete business has come to an end and it is time to move on.
The City must stop being held hostage to this small group of people. It is not fair to all those who have lost jobs and never received entitlements. It is not fair to the small coffee shop owner mentioned above who was not offered a new location or a new business on a "silver platter." The image pictured here is a Tweet made by one of the most outspoken carriage drivers. Notice there is no compassion for the horses - only for the money lost because they were suspended. We are pleased the ASPCA shut down the carriage trade yesterday. While we did not get that much snow, it was very cold, windy, icy and slippery. People who care about their horses do not subject them to this kind of weather.
LOOKING FOR INTERESTING GIFTS?
Support us - shop at our four Cafe Press stores + beautiful art work
Please take a look at our Merchandise page from our web site. Three of our stores are listed plus beautiful art work from Teresa Vecere. You may also access Teresa's web site for additional art. They are all the same cost. If you like any of them, please contact us.
In addition, we have a fourth store on Cafe Press. We are now offering great looking t-shirts based on our successful ad campaign - Carriage Horses Suffer - thanks to Roberto, the Nomadic Cat -for the Ts and Jane Denny - for the original art work. Click here.
PLEASE JOIN US ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS
Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, Google Blog & Flickr
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.
