Goal: Applaud taking action to eliminate horse-drawn carriages from New York City’s streets
Photo credit: jen-the-librarian via Flickr
Horse-drawn carriages have been a staple of the New York City tourism industry for a century. New York City’s Irish community makes up the majority of the horse-drawn carriage industry, and it has been intent on keeping its livelihood prosperous. However, animal rights activists cater to the opposing agenda, urging the New York City council to put an end to the city’s horse-drawn carriage industry. Their animal welfare concerns have been heard: Mayor Bill de Blasio will soon introduce legislation to end the horse-drawn carriage industry.
The horses of New York City that are forced to work long, grueling hours, and only given rest in small increments of time deserve fulfilling lives. They are not let out to pasture when their work in the city is complete each day. When the horses are on duty they are forced to dodge vehicles, endure excessive air pollution, and risk their lives for tourist entertainment. Every minute that a horse is on the streets of New York City it is at risk of being hit by a car. Mayor de Blasio is genuinely concerned about the welfare of these animals.
Of course, he has received significant backlash from some members of the community, as well as those who share ownership or are employed by the horse-drawn carriage industry. De Blasio has promised to assist these individuals in finding new jobs if the ban is honored.
When Mayor Bill de Blasio was vying for his current position he was heavily supported by animal rights activists. With their influence, along with a push from activists at Force Change and all over the country, Mayor de Blasio has unveiled a bill that, if approved by city council, will end the cruel horse-drawn carriage industry of New York City. De Blasio has publicly said, before and after election, that the horses’ welfare is his main concern.
Commend Mayor de Blasio for honoring his animal welfare stance by introducing this ban on horse-drawn carriages.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Mayor de Blasio,
Before you were elected as Mayor of New York City, you took a controversial, yet necessary stance against the horse-drawn carriage industry. You have officially kept your pre- and post-election promises by introducing legislation set to end the cruel industry. I am writing to thank you for your compassion towards the carriage horses of New York City.
It is my hope that the city council favors your legislation and passes it with no hesitation. Please use the signatures that this supportive petition generates to encourage the council to show the horses compassion. You and I know that the horse-drawn carriage industry is archaic and insufficient for the needs of the working horses; it is time for the rest of the city to share this sentiment.
Thank you for fighting for the horses of New York City. Countless mayors before you did not rise to this challenge. You are a valuable asset to New York City.
“As a life-long horse owner, I am so against this industry. No horse should be made to work up to 9 hours a day, dodging traffic, breathing in toxic fumes all day; with only 5 weeks a year at pasture…my comments are next to paragraphs I disagree with! Please sign the petitions & watch the videos at the end of this news post!”
While a high-profile ordinance that would ban the use of horse-drawn carriages in New York City has not yet reached the city council, the proposed legislation has drawn criticism from carriage operators as well as from a veterinarian who believes such a ban is not necessarily in the horses’ best interest.
Horse carriage owners and operators oppose such legislation on grounds that their industry is already heavily regulated, and their horses are well-protected under a current law. Photo: John Manuel/Wikimedia Commons
Last year, Allie Feldman, executive director of New Yorkers for Clean, Livable, and Safe Streets (NYCLASS), called for a citywide ban on horse-drawn carriages on grounds that the carriages were inhumane. At that time, she said 16 members of the New York City council would support an ordinance that would replace horse-drawn cabs with electric vintage replica cars. In January, newly-elected New York City Mayor Bill DeBlasio said he would back any legislation that would ban the operation of horse-drawn carriages in the city. However, Feldman said that, so far, no legislation has reached the members of the New York City council.
“We haven’t introduced a bill and we haven’t even named a sponsor yet,” said Feldman.
Meanwhile, horse carriage owners and operators oppose such legislation on grounds that their industry is already heavily regulated, and their horses are well-protected under a current law. Stephen Malone, spokesman for the Horse and Carriage Association of New York and a 30-year owner/operator of horse-drawn carriages in the city, said an ordinance passed in 2010 gives carriage horses at least five weeks of vacation each year, bigger stalls, and quality veterinary and farrier care. “Whoopy fxxxxxg do…5 weeks of vacation a year, still isn’t sufficient!!
“This industry is regulated enough,” Malone said.
At the same time, Malone said the proposed ordinance would force him to relinquish his horses in order to make sure the animals never work again.
“These horses are not just business assets to me, they are my business partners,” Malone said. “They are not business partners, they are slaves that are over worked; nose to exhaust pipe up to 9 hours a day!!”
The lack of work is just one reason why veterinarian Sarah Ralston, VMD, PhD, Dipl. ACVN, a professor in the Rutgers University Department of Animal Sciences, opposes legislation that would take these horses from their owners and force them into permanent retirement on yet unspecified farms.
Ralston said regular work and a set routine helps to keeps horses healthy and enhances the animals’ quality of life. “Sorry, did she really say ‘ enhances the animals’ quality of life’?? What utter bxxxxxxt! Making a horse walk on concrete, nose to exhaust pipe, dodging traffic, up to 9 hours a day; could cause severe leg & hoof damage which would give no horse a decent quality of life!”
“The carriage horses, on the whole, are showing no signs of distress or unwillingness to work when asked to do so,” asserted Ralston. “They are well adapted to their environment. If they weren’t, they would not last long on the streets.” ” Well I would bet if they had a say in the matter, horses wouldn’t want to be on the streets. It’s not a willingness to work, they don’t have much say in the matter; they are forced to work!”
More importantly, Ralston said, such legislation sets a dangerous precedent for horses as well as for the humans who look after them.
“If a horse is in its stall without access to pasture, but is getting quality basic care and regular exercise, should we say that this horse is being abused, or is it cruel to ask a horse to do a job that it is well-trained for and capable of doing without distress?” Ralston said. “No it’s not cruel to keep a horse in it’s stall, my horse is in over winter, as are most, to let the pastures rest!.But she goes on the walker twice a day & goes in the working arena twice a day; to let off steam & have a roll around with the other horses; so that isn’t cruel! But I do think it is cruel to make a horse work on concrete for up to 9 hours, surrounded by noise, fumes & dodging traffic; which I would say as a horse owner, would cause some amount of stress!!”
“This is the norm for a majority of the horses kept in urban and suburban settings, and this (kind of legislation) sends a terrible precedent that should have the entire horse industry up in arms.” “Sorry but horses are flight animals that could react in a second to a certain noise, which would put all parties in danger…I can’t believe a vet would say a horse wouldn’t be in distress…surrounded by loud noises & traffic…glad she’s not my horses vet!!”
Meanwhile, Feldman declined to comment on whether NYCLASS will talk with horse-drawn carriage operators and others about what the proposed ordinance should contain.
“All I can say is that we intend to make sure our ordinance is fair and equitable to all parties,” Feldman said.
While New York City’s proposed ordinance is being prepared, lawmakers in Philadelphia, Pa.; Salt Lake City, Utah; and Chicago, Ill., are re-examining their own rules governing horse-drawn carriages.
In Philadelphia, Mark McDonald, press secretary to Mayor Michael Nutter, said the city has no current plans to ban horse carriages there. Instead, a working group is reviewing regulations already on the city’s books.
“The (working group) will focus on licensing and enforcement of our (regulations) regarding carriage horses and the stables that house them,” he said.
In Salt Lake City, City Council Chairman Charlie Luke said council members voted to support an amendment to the city’s existing ordinance on Feb. 4. In part, the amendment regulates the ages of carriage horses, authorizes random drug testing of drivers, and requires carriage companies to educate the public about the carriage trade and how carriage horses are cared for. Luke also said the ordinance puts under contract the company that provides horse-drawn carriages in Salt Lake City.
“The contract gives us more leverage to regulate the industry,” Luke said.
Finally in Chicago, Donal Quinlan, press secretary to Ald. Ed Burke, said Burke introduced legislation on Feb. 5 that would cease the city’s issue of new horse-drawn carriage licenses until all such licenses have expired. That ordinance, which is backed by Mayor Rham Emanuel, remains pending in the Chicago city council.
“Video about the dog named Star, who was shot by NYPD police; she is alive & well. I really hope this girl finds a warm loving & caring family, someone who will love Star the way she loved her previous owner. There is nothing vicious about a dog protecting the person she loves; had the dog been a Chihuahua, things would have been very different!”
Star was shot by an NYPD officer in August 2012 while trying to protect her owner, a homeless man who had passed out on the street, as police approached him. She suffered soft tissue, bone, neurological, and eye damage from the gunshot to her mouth.
She was brought to Animal Care & Control of NYC, which took care of her during the required waiting period. Her owner relinquished her to AC&C, at which point Fifth Avenue Veterinary Specialists was able to perform the necessary surgeries to remove her damaged left eye, remove metal fragments, and reconstruct the bone and soft tissue injuries to her head. The surgeries were paid for by a generous donation to AC&C’s STAR Fund (name unrelated to Star’s name). When she had recovered from surgery, she was transferred to the Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals, which transported her on its Wheels of Hope van to a rehab facility, where she will live until she is fully healed and ready for adoption. The Lexus Project assisted in Star’s excellent care.
To pitch in toward Star’s rehab care, make a secure online donation and mention “Star Recovery Fund” in the designation:http://www.AnimalAllianceNYC.org/donate. Thank you for your generosity!
Video produced independently by Sinthya Somorra. Thanks, Sinthya, for your dedication to Star’s cause!
DUE TO THE NATURE OF THIS BLOG - SOME PICTURES & VIDEOS CAN & WILL BE VERY GRAPHIC - SO PLEASE, VIEW THIS BLOG AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION.
You can find out more about me & this blog by reading "ABOUT THIS BLOG" on the menu (when i finish it) lol
PLEASE NOTE.....
Not all of my posts will be current news, or even about animal abuse! I do like to share other animal news, uplifting stories or videos; some that are funny or just touch the heart!
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ABOUT THESE POSTS
I would just like to make readers aware, that I search for stories on the internet; regards animal abuse etc. I copy stories etc. from the internet; assuming these stories are correct at time of publishing. Having said that, sometimes the press get it wrong! So I just want to add that at the time of me posting a news story, I presume all the facts seem present & correct.
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DUE TO THE NATURE OF THIS BLOG - SOME PICTURES & VIDEOS CAN & WILL BE VERY GRAPHIC - SO PLEASE, VIEW THIS BLOG AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION.
STOP ANIMAL ABUSE 