Horses Without Carriages International www.horseswithoutcarriages.org

The media and all reporters involved with the yellow journalism of the last week should be embarrassed for the kind of coverage they have produced - lying and making it up as they go along. I had previously been interviewed by a channel 2 reporter and was annoyed to find out that her segment was slanted to the drivers' side and I got two seconds to speak. I subsequently turned down another interview on Channel 2, 11 and with Errol Lewis on Road to City Hall on NY 1 because I knew it would be the same thing. It would have been difficult to get my points across, especially when I had seen the media giving the drivers a much longer spot to express their views, I then learned that Louis had been retweeting the carriage trade's tweet -- clearly he is on their side. Not good, Errol. I was not going to be set up to be mocked and used as the token so they could say they had a balanced report.

Still, if anyone wants to interview me in a really fair way, let me know. I have a lot to say. We will wait to find out what Mayor deBlasio's plans are. (picture - driver stands up in carriage while turning around - very bad driving form.)

THE CARRIAGE HORSE BAN AND THE GREAT BETRAYAL WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE MEDIA? NYC: Media sacrifices carriage horses' welfare for human's selfish enjoyment and made up sob stories about carriage drivers, and non-questioning acceptance of non-existent "electric cars." (photo is of 9/26/13 accident )

The NYPD is not familiar with the rules and regulations that govern the carriage horses, which is creating a climate of lawlessness. I suggest you contact your Council Member at this link. Ask them to call for a special hearing with the NYPD so people can understand what is happening. If you live outside NYC, contact Council Member Melissa Mark Viverito.

Besides--it's Manhattan. Do we really think tourists won't find something else to do? In place of the carriages, De Blasio wants to have electric vintage replica vehicles for tourists to ride, which would also provide jobs for carriage drivers. And by the way, that's only part of what De Blasio promised. He also wants to toughen up laws on the sale of puppy mill animals, wants more regulation of pet dealers, and would revamp the city's municipal shelter system, which definitely needs an overhaul. (The Los Angeles City Council bans the sale of animals from large-scale breeders-so-called puppy mills-at all pet stores in the city.) The mayor still has to get this plan through the city council. After that, though, he can probably get the 200 some working horses retired into sanctuaries relatively quickly. The Humane Society of the U.S. and other groups have offered to take them. Of course, De Blasio has colossal issues in the city to fix. (Or try to fix.) But I don't think his announcing that one of the easier problems to solve would get tackled right away means he can't promptly address poverty, pensions and everything else ailing New York City. (photo is of white washed license plate)

If you would like to testify at the Forum please contact Senator Avella's Legislative Counsel, Rebecca A. Sheehan, at 718-357-3094. Please note that you should limit your testimony to 3 minutes and please bring 10 copies of your testimony with you on January 17th. Please make arrangements now to take time off from work to attend this very important session. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity. You do not have to testify to attend.