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: * * the latest on a ban** Salt Lake City Bans HDCs** NYC carriage driver takes plea deal ** Upcoming demos ** Do you buy online? Help us by signing up with i-Give ** See a horse having a great time **
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.
STILL WAITING FOR MAYOR DEBLASIO ...
We continue our holding pattern.
- GOOD NEWS: I spoke with Mayor deBlasio's office this week asking them about the bill to ban horse-drawn carriages. They are adamant that the bill will be introduced. No question. The Mayor has not changed his mind. They want to be sure it is zipped up tight.
- BAD NEWS: They do not know when it will be introduced and would not commit to any date
- NEUTRAL NEWS: When the bill is introduced, EVERYONE MUST lobby their council members to support the bill. We will need the help of people around the world.
- In the meantime, we continue in a holding pattern.
OUR NEW SUBWAY AD
We need your help.
This is our new subway ad. (It will be much larger, therefore legible.) At this time, we will be able to pay for ten posters and have targeted three subway stations. We would love to do more with your help. Each poster - printing and placement - is about $600. We plan to begin this campaign after the bill is introduced. We will also resume with our newspaper ads in Metro.
If you would like to support our new subway campaign, please send your donation per the instructions on our web site.
SALT LAKE CITY BANS HORSE-DRAWN CARRIAGES
unanimous vote in City Council
Salt Lake City Bans Horse-Drawn Carriages 11/29/14 - Salt Lake City Tribune. The City Council voted unanimously on 11/25 to ban horse-drawn carriages in that city. Their campaign gained in momentum after a carriage horse named Jerry collapsed and died last year. His owner tried to fool the public by putting out pictures of a different horse.
NYC CARRIAGE DRIVER PLEADS TO DISORDERLY CONDUCT
for working his horse lame for four days
Last December, NYC carriage driver, Saverio Colarusso, was charged with a misdemeanor for working his horse Blondie lame for four days. She was diagnosed with thrush, a very painful condition that often comes from unsanitary conditions in the stall - urine soaked straw bedding. It was an animal cruelty violation of Section 353 of the Agriculture and Markets Law. The case had been dragging through the courts and was finally settled last Wednesday, 11/26, when Colarusso pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of disorderly conduct.
The Manhattan DA's office has a reputation for not prosecuting animal cruelty violations. They had offered a penalty of community service many months ago. These articles about the case are well worth reading. Most carriage drivers never get charged since City officials generally look the other way. So we are grateful he was charged and at least it was not dropped. Still, we would have liked the DA's office to take animal cruelty seriously.
SAVE THE DATE - UPCOMING CARRIAGE HORSE DEMOS
Next demo is Saturday December 6th
Please note the demos for December:
- 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. The purpose of these events is to educate tourists and others about this trade.
Please plan to come to these demos - as many as you can. From Thanksgiving through the end of the year, many of these horses are worked to exhaustion.
KOBE AND HIS HORSE BALL
a little levity - watching a horse having a good time
Watch this wonderful horse, Kobe, have a great time playing with his ball. My dream is for every carriage horse to experience this kind of joy - permanently!
Click here for the video.
He even has his own Facebook page. Photo is credit of this page.
HELP OUR ORGANIZATION BY SHOPPING ON LINE - iGIVE
A percentage of the sale will go to our campaign
Through a free registration with iGive, when you buy merchandise on line, your purchase will help us. There are more than 1500 stores that include such popular ones as Amazon.com, Staples, Best Buy and Barnes & Noble. Click here to get started.
On iGive - the name of our organization is "The Coalition for NYC Animals, Inc." Click here to begin.
PLEASE JOIN US ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS
Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, Google Blog & Flickr
"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.
