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8-30 August 31, 2014
 
 

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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 AND COLLEAGUES - In this issue: * * coverage for our demo at Gracie Mansion ** Dear Mayor deBlasio ** Our ad in City and State ** Demo on 9/3 against Fashion designer ** two carriage horses die while working ** contact City Council ** international support videos for a ban on horse-drawn carriages.

NOTE: the best way to receive this newsletter is to subscribe directly. Although I post it on other lists, sometimes (for reasons unknown) they do not approve it - so you are subject to their whims. PLEASE CLICK HERE to subscribe directly. If you want to see past newsletters - CLICK HERE for our archive.

EXCELLENT DEMO AT GRACIE MANSION ON 8/26/14
A promise made is a promise made to be kept
BIG thanks to everyone for coming out on Tuesday evening to ask Mayor deBlasio to keep his promise and ban horse-drawn carriages. Considering that we only announced this a few days before, we had an excellent turnout - about 80 people. The canned response from the Mayor's office sounded like it was taken out and dusted off. Although they still say they will ban the carriages, it did not offer anything new and was disappointing. We want to know How and When.

We do not think this is an unreasonable question to ask of the mayor after 10 months of no action on this issue - only rhetoric. Many of us supported him and worked to get him elected. We have been very patient, waiting for the mayor to act. But nothing has happened and we have reached our breaking point. We say enough is enough.

This is a compilation of TV coverage.

Note: all photos by Miriam Lucille

MR. MAYOR: PLEASE LISTEN TO US
A promise made is a promise made to be kept
I am writing this to Mayor deBlasio because I hope that someone who works for the mayor's office will see it. Hopefully they will share it with him, but I have my doubts.
  • You promised to ban the horse-drawn carriages early in your administration and you have done nothing. Why?
  • You expect us to believe you - to have blind faith - but you have given us nothing to believe in. You and your staff do not seem to understand that. You do not have a track record on animal issues. Why should we believe you - just because you say so? Sorry, but it does not work that way.
  • Why is this taking so long and why have you not hired someone who is skilled and experienced in animal issues as your administration suggested might happen. This would have shown some good faith. Instead you have given us nothing.
  • Statements from your administration sound canned and contrived. I don't know if the TV announcers expanded on it but it sounds like nothing is happening and you are still "researching" solutions.
  • You could have made us part of your team but you did not - choosing instead to allow inexperienced people on your staff, who do not have any animal issues experience, to take charge. This was wrong.
  • You have ignored many requests I have made - such as moving the horses to the shady side of the street; or cracking down on illegal u-turns and drivers who white wash their license plates, or the many drivers who leave their horses unattended or untethered - an invitation to spooking and causing a serious accident. Why? This would not look like a compromise but instead like you were taking charge, taking this situation seriously and beginning to take action -- to put these law breakers on notice. No one enforces the street laws. The only thing the NYPD is enforcing now is the 90 degree temperature law. The cops do not believe this is their responsibility. The transfer of humane law enforcement from the ASPCA to the NYPD in January was handed very badly concerning the carriage horse regulations, which are simply not enforced. I have mentioned this many times to your administration and I am ignored. Thanks for nothing.
  • By not owning this issue, you have allowed the Daily News, the Teamsters and the Working Families Party to control the dialogue with all their many lies - such as the carriage trade being one of the top three tourist attractions in NYC. This is ludicrous. This was very, very wrong. The proposed ban had a majority of people supporting it before the Daily News began their unchallenged crusade, which resulted in a complete about face because of your lack of action Again - thanks for nothing.
  • You have refused to meet with us although you have met with representatives of just about every other issue in NYC. You have taken us for granted and must think we are fools. Not good.
  • We helped to put you in office. This was an issue that you happily pulled out of your hat during debates - this got many people to support and vote for you because it was an emotional issue that resonated with people.

VIDEOS of People around the world who support a ban on horse-drawn carriages. These were compiled a few months ago. Although we sent them to the Mayor's office, they were not acknowledged. Thanks again to all the people who gave graciously of their time to participate in this project.

  • PART ONE - Catskill Animal Sanctuary; Gary Kaskel- Author; Nellie McKay - performer; Dublin; Nedim Bukukmichi, DVM; Charleston; England; activists Florence; Bahamas; Argentina; Animal Aid - England; Mexico; Boston; California; Philadelphia; Massachusetts; Virginia; Milan; Chicago; Joy Askew-Singer; Upstate NY; Vienna; Australia; North Carolina; Canadian Horse Defense Coalition; UK - Quaker Concern for Animals
  • PART TWO -- Bali, Indonesia; Susan Wagner/Equine Advocates; Dallas; Holly Cheever, DVM; Milan activists; Montreal; Joann Normile - equine expert; John Bartlett - fashion designer; Hong Kong; upstate NY; AFAR - Dublin; Mexico; Atlanta; Idaho; Sacramento; PAN- Philadelphia

TWO CARRIAGE HORSE DEATHS - BOSTON & THE UK
both while working
An abrupt end for hard-working horse WATERTOWN - A 30 year old Percheron named Freddy dropped dead while pulling a bridal carriage. Percherons have a life expectancy of only 25 years. Why was this horse not retired. It is odd that his owner could not wait to get him in the ground. Why - because if there was a necropsy, it might show he was taking Bute for pain management? This is a picture of Freddy to the right.

Another horse in the UK drops dead in a funeral procession. (the photo shown in the article is stock and not of the horse.)

THIS IS OUR AD IN CITY & STATE
Please help us continue our advertising.
Our new ad campaign can be seen in City & State, a publication that reaches government officials -- decision makers who are responsible for public safety. What the media has lost sight of in their quest to bring down Mayor deBlasio, is that the very nature of the horse makes this majestic animal unsuitable to work on the crowded streets of NYC. They are serious accidents waiting to happen. Although gentle by nature, at 1,500 to 2,000 pounds, they can become uncontrollable, unwitting weapons when spooked. As prey animals, their nature is to respond to upsetting stimuli in a flight or fight manner. Horses are predictably unpredictable and there is no such thing as a "bomb proof" horse. Unfamiliar sudden movements or loud noises will often trigger an innate anxiety in a horse, which may lead to panic and fear. Generally in the city, as with what recently happened with Pumpkin, (the horse who spooked a bolted on Central Park South) a horse will bolt into traffic, not caring where he is going or who is in his way. He wants desperately to distance himself from the source of danger. The horse is terrified for his life. Many of the NYC horse spooking accidents have come close to leaving dead people in their wake. There have been serious human injuries, including a few carriage drivers who were hospitalized in a coma. ''Spooking' can happen to even the best-trained and well-mannered horse... there is no such thing as an unspookable horse, nor can the average driver control it once it bolts.'' said horse expert and equine veterinarian, Holly Cheever D.V.M.

A few years ago, a carriage driver was trying to make an illegal u-turn with his horse, Oreo, on Central Park South. Oreo spooked when he encountered a big truck rumbling up the avenue. He bolted into traffic, lost his driver and ran up on the sidewalk - narrowly missing pedestrians. He continued to run down the street to 11th Avenue. That - as with Pumpkin, a recent accident - was a close call. When an out of control powerful horse comes running at you, he is not saying "excuse me, excuse me, sir, coming through." No - he is frantic and just wants to hot tail it away from the source of fear. He will trample you if you are in his way. For city officials to continue to allow this to happen is a huge mistake and very irresponsible.

In 2010, in Salzburg, Austria, a French tourist was knocked down and trampled by a runaway carriage horse who spooked and bolted. She died from her injuries. In 2007, there were two incidents each involving 5-year old girls and carriage horses that ended badly. In Tucson, little Brielle was sitting on a horse in a parade when several carriage horses behind her spooked. She was knocked from her horse and trampled to death. Later that year in St. Petersburg, Russia, another young girl fell from a carriage and was killed when the horse spooked and bolted. Here are a few other noteworthy accidents:

  • In 2012, in the UK , a Swiss tourist fell from a carriage after the horse spooked and bolted, and died from her injuries.
  • Iowa - In 2010, horses spooked in a parade and ran into the crowd, trampling and injuring 24 people - some seriously and killing a woman passenger who was thrown from the buggy.
  • PETA'S list of accidents around the world.
  • Animal Aid, a UK animal rights group that has been working on this issue for years reports: There are numerous documented cases of both animal and human injuries, sometimes fatal, after carriage horses have become 'spooked'. A US survey of national carriage horse accidents revealed that:
  • 85% of all accidents were the result of an animal spooking
  • 70% of the time there was a human injury
  • 22% of the time there was a human death

Please donate what you can to help this ad campaign continue. We have come to the end of our Metro ad campaign but hope to start it up again soon. Please remember we are all volunteer and do not take salaries. Every penny you donate is put back into the organization. We are the organization that began the "ban" campaign in 2006 and we plan to continue our ad campaign until this inhumane, unsafe and abusive trade is stopped. We are hoping Mayor deBlasio takes positive action soon. Thanks to all of you who have donated to our campaign. It is much appreciated. We cannot do it without your help. Click here if you would like to donate.

Please read the accompanying article "It's a Safety Issue."

DESPERATE FASHION DESIGNER HOOKS UP WITH CARRIAGE DRIVERS
Demo on Wednesday September 3rd at 5:30 PM
Please come to a demo sponsored by NYClass to protest the fashion designer Victor deSouza's use of models and carriage horses on the streets of NYC.
  • WHEN: Wednesday September 3rd at 5:30
  • WHERE: in front of NY Athletic Club at 180 Central Park South near Seventh Ave.

URGENT: PLEASE CALL THE CITY COUNCIL
about banning the horse-drawn carriage trade (no e-mails or faxes)
If you have not already called, please take the time to do so this coming week. Your Council Member needs to know how their constituents feel about this issue. Eight and one half months into the deBlasio administration and we are no closer to shutting down the inhumane and unsafe carriage trade than we were one year ago. All we have are empty promises. Please contact your council member and ask him or her to support a bill to ban horse-drawn carriages. CALL THEM. Do not e-mail or fax. These methods of communication are likely to be deleted. Calls have much more impact and are less likely to be forgotten.
  • NYC RESIDENTS: www.council.nyc.gov -- Call your Council Member.
  • OUTSIDE NYC: Call Speaker Melissa Mark Viverito's office. 212-828-9800

Instructions

  • http://www.council.nyc.gov/html/members/members.shtml
  • Plug in your address to find out who your Council Member is.
  • Look for the telephone number for the District Office.
  • SUGGESTED SCRIPT - YOU: Good morning, my name is [your name] and I am a constituent. I live on [your address] I support an unconditional ban on horse-drawn carriages and I would like to know what [your Council Member's name] position is on this issue. You might also tell them it is a public safety issue and it is inhumane. If you live outside of NYC, call Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito's office and tell them were you live.
  • COUNCIL OFFICE: the person who answers the phone may transfer you to someone else or suggest you call the Legislative Office or actually take the message.
  • YOU: If they support a ban - thank them; If they are on the fence ask them why and if they would be open to receiving some links to articles. If they are against the ban - ask them why and if they would be open to receiving some links to articles.
  • IMPORTANT: If they say they would be willing to receive some information, ask them for the e-mail address of a specific person - maybe the Chief of Staff, maybe the Legislative Aide. Do not agree to send it to their office e-mail. You can say that you want to be sure someone receives it.
  • Note: If the Council Office is not able to give you an answer, tell them that you will follow up in a week. Tell them this is a very important issue and you would like an answer. And follow up.

THESE ARE THE ARTICLE LINKS:

  • IT'S A SAFETY ISSUE http://carriagehorsesnyc.blogspot.com/2014/07/its-safety-issue.html this article is about the innate nature of a horse and why they should not be in the streets of NYC
  • MOST PEOPLE WANT A BAN OF HORSE-DRAWN CARRIAGES http://carriagehorsesnyc.blogspot.com/2014/07/nyc-most-people-want-ban-of-horse-drawn.html
  • LIAM, LIES AND MORE LIES - this is about the lies perpetrated by Liam Neeson and the carriage trade. http://carriagehorsesnyc.blogspot.com/2014/06/liam-lies-and-more-lies.html
RESULT OF PHONE CALL: Please let us know what happened - e-mail us at [email protected]

PLEASE JOIN US ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS
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HELP OUR ORGANIZATION BY SHOPPING ON LINE - iGIVE
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 & 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." Click here to begin. 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.

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.