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8-40 - November 9, 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: ** Horrendous spooking accident ** must read articles - general & 'horse vacations' ** Telephone Tuesday (this week Wednesday) call the City Council ** report 311 to report cruelty **

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.

CARRIAGE HORSES ARE ACCIDENTS WAITING TO HAPPEN
Politicians & Decision Makers - don't gamble with people's lives
This is the latest spooking accident that happened in Germany - Thursday November 6th. There were 15 people in the carriage pulled by several horses. Something spooked them and this is what happened. The pictures show a mess -- women all over the ground; odd spectators just looking on. This is what happens when horses spook. Chaos!

Several injured in Catholic pilgrimage in Bavaria BAD TOELZ, Germany (AP) - Several people were injured during an annual Catholic pilgrimage in Bavaria after the horses pulling their carriage bolted, toppling the wagon over and spilling passengers onto the snowy ground. The carriage carrying 15 women in traditional costume was part of the St. Leonhard pilgrimage Thursday in which hundreds of locals ride on horse-drawn carriages from the town of Bad Toelz to nearby Kalvarienberg mountain where they and their horses receive a priest's blessing. Bad Toelz police say they do not have a final count on how many people were injured nor how severe their injuries are.

TWO ARTICLES WORTH READING AGAIN
One general - the other about the horse "vacations"
These articles are still very timely so I wanted to share them with you again.

DON'T FORGET: TELEPHONE "WEDNESDAY" - November 12th
Please take a few minutes to call your Council Member
Telephone Tuesday is our new initiative to help you remember to make your call to your Council Member. This coming week, we are asking that you make the call on Wednesday because offices will be closed on Tuesday for Veterans' Day. Please take a few minutes to call your Council Member -- if you have not yet done so. Thanks to all of you who have made the calls -- particularly those who called from outside NYC. Thanks for caring so much. Your participation is the only way to make a difference -- not standing on the side lines and expecting someone else to do it. If you do not make the small effort to call your Council Member, how do you expect they will know your views?

Eleven 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. 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 more likely to be ignored.

  • 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.They might say that there a bill had not yet been introduced. Tell them that the Mayor has said a bill will be introduced soon and you want to know in general whether they would support a ban or not.
  • 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: RESULT OF PHONE CALL: Please let us know what happened - e-mail us at [email protected]

SAVE THE DATE - UPCOMING CARRIAGE HORSE DEMOS
Please note the demos for November and December:
  • Saturday November 15th
  • Sunday November 30th
  • Saturday December 6th - Horses Without Carriages International Day
  • Sunday December 14th
  • Saturday December 20th
  • Sunday December 28th
  • TIME: 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm
  • LOCATION: Hack line - north/west side of Central Park South off Fifth Avenue

As the weather gets colder, please dress warmly so you will feel comfortable standing outside for a few hours. This means warm socks, gloves, scarves, hats - the usual. We supply all posters and flyers. This is a "silent" protest. We do not chant and we ask that you do not engage in any altercations with the drivers or their passengers.

HOW TO REPORT ANIMAL CRUELTY TO 311
NYC: It remains a mystery just how the NYPD has taken over for the ASPCA to enforce anti cruelty laws and the carriage horse regulations, which means that the industry is out of control as usual. We continue to try to find out. But eleven months later, we still do not have any answers. The deBlasio administration has ignored this issue although we have tried to get them to take responsibility. If you see anything involving animals that you want to report -- and it is not an emergency - please go on line to 311. If it is about a carriage horse, please remember to get the license plate number on the back of the carriage and a description of the horse and if possible, the 4-digit engraved number on the left front hoof. Please note that even if you report something directly to the NYPD, use this system as a a back up.

  • DIRECTIONS:
  • go to this link http://www1.nyc.gov/311/index.page
  • Click on "Make a Complaint"
  • Select: Get Help with - "Public Health and Safety"
  • Specifically "Animal Abuse"
  • Click on "Report the neglect or abuse of an animal."
  • User Alert page comes up next
  • Note: Dial 911 if an emergency response is required
  • Click on "Start" at the bottom
  • Follow the instructions and submit.
Print out a copy and take a reference number if available.

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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.