THE NYC CARRIAGE HORSE ISSUE DRAGS ON…

Periodic updates about issues and actions concerning New York City’s Carriage Horses +

Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages www.banhdc.orgHorses Without Carriages International www.horseswithoutcarriages.org

PLEASE FORWARD TO FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES ** Next Saturday February 1st – carriage horse demo ** articles and interviews on this issue ** all photos by Mary Culpepper

How the media has sold out

We still do not have any updates to report on the carriage horse ban in NYC via City Hall. Starting a month or so before Mayor deBlasio was elected, the media (for the most part) had been after him – first trying to derail his campaign and now spinning the story about the carriage horse issue. It has been very difficult to get the truth out. Much of what has been reported on TV and in the papers is taken from the contrived perspective of the driver – the poor downtrodden “blue collar worker” who just wants to keep his job — nothing about our perspective, how the horses live and work. So because of that, I will not post any articles that are slanted in that way. I am sure many of you have seen the news – especially on TV – and know what I mean.An example of how the media has distorted this story can be seen with PIX 11 TV. I was recently asked to be interviewed at their studio along with a driver. I said I could not do it but suggested someone else. This was going along fine until they told us that the show had been canceled because they could not find someone from the other side. Shortly after, I saw that they did a one on one interview with a carriage driver who was allowed to say the most outrageous things without being challenged by the reporter because he did not have a clue. I complained to the station, writing to the Exec. Producer and the Vice President. I was ignored. This is Yellow Journalism. There is no other name for it.

Because of all the one sided media reports, a recent Quinnipiac Poll showed a majority of people were against a ban. Don’t take this seriously if you saw it. The manipulated ground work had been set – the true facts were not revealed. The truth is that over the years, which is a much better way to poll public opinion, every time a poll was taken, between 75 and 80 percent of respondents favored a ban.

an interview by the Times Union

I was interviewed by Nicole M. Arcielo of the Times Union –Working to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages. This is an excerpt: A driver was charged with animal cruelty recently. Has this ever happened before? Will it help pave the way for the ban? This is the first time someone was caught. It was an NYPD officer who made the arrest and it is probably because they took over enforcing the cruelty laws on January 1st. The officer was probably more sensitive to the suffering. It is odd that only the NY Times reported on this cruelty arrest.While on paper it looks like the trade is heavily regulated by many City agencies, these regulations are mostly not enforced. The ASPCA officers – fewer than 20 – handled the whole state. They would have had to assign one officer to each driver to keep up with them and that was never going to happen. But I wonder why no one else noticed this lame horse for four days – not the stable manager, not the owner and not the many drivers who work out of Clinton Stable. That is shameful and just confirms to me that they don’t care and see these horses as objects, as money makers. I also wonder about the stall in which Blondie lived. A very common cause of thrush, which was the cause of the lameness, is filthy urine soaked straw bedding.nose to carriage (2) Here are videos of violations activists have amassed. Even though these have been turned over to the Department of Health and Consumer Affairs, nothing is generally done about any of this. Perhaps it was because Agency Commissioners are appointed by the Mayor (Bloomberg in this case) and did not want to rock the boat since Bloomberg supported the industry. The ASPCA also never responded to these videos.

by Elizabeth Forel – guest blogger on Vegan Publisher

Ban of the Horse-Drawn Carriage Trade in New York — by Elizabeth Forel – guest blogger on Vegan Publishers. This is an excerpt: WHY THE BUSINESS NEEDS TO BE SHUT DOWN: These slow moving, flimsy conveyances do not belong in the heavy congested streets of NYC, which is always an accident waiting to happen. Horses are prey animals and are predictably unpredictable – they spook easily and can bolt into traffic causing mayhem. These sensitive animals become unwitting weapons who can kill or injure themselves or passersby. Human deaths have happened in other countries and if this business is allowed to continue, it is only a matter of time before someone is killed here.The horses work nine hours a day, seven days a week between the shafts of their carriages where they do not have the freedom to scratch an itch – something everyone takes for granted. During the holiday season when the drivers are busy, the horses are worked to exhaustion – never resting. At other times of the year, when there is little business, they wait at the hack line bored, stomping their hooves until they get yelled at. The more fortunate ones just fall asleep. But they all have that disinterested faraway look as they stand dispirited while their drivers ignore them, often shooting the breeze with their cronies.

They live in multi-level drab and dark stables in upper floor stalls that are less than half the size of what experts recommend. They are accessed by a steep ramp. The horses have no turn out to pasture – no place to graze and socialize with the other horses. The stables have one means of egress and if there were a fire, the horses living on upper floors would not be able to get out. It is a tragedy waiting to happen.

by ASPCA president (good article)

Help the horses: Ban New York carriage rides by ASPCA President Matt Bershadker — this is an excerpt: “A carriage driver and industry spokesperson recently told CNN that only “two different sides” are arguing this issue: “the people that know about horses, and people who just look at the horses and give their first impression based on something they read on the Internet.” That statement indicates a deliberate ignorance that serves neither the horses nor the truth. There are many perspectives on this issue, but because these carriages are profit-driven as well as horse-driven, the paramount question is “What’s in the best interest of the horses?” And is the answer more likely to come from a group dedicated to animal rescue and protection or from horse carriage drivers teaming up with a St. Louis-based PR firm that says it is fighting “radical animal rights extremists” to protect industry?”

from AM-NY

Vogel: Galloping to ban NYC horse-drawn carriages – AM-NY 1/20/14. With so many urgent issues facing the city, why did Mayor Bill de Blasio make getting rid of New York’s iconic horse-drawn carriages his first priority? “They are not humane, and not appropriate for the year 2014,” de Blasio said right before taking office. “So just watch us do it.” He proposes replacing the carriages with antique-like electric cars. The carriage-horse owners and drivers are furious. They say the horses are well-treated, the industry is well-regulated, and if it’s done away with, many newly unemployed horses would have an increased chance of being shipped to the slaughterhouse. Not true, said Elizabeth Forel, president of the Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages. “These slow-moving, dangerous conveyances do not belong in the heavily congested streets of New York City,” she said. Horses, she added, spook easily and can become unwitting weapons that can kill or injure themselves or passersby. But carriage-horse owners say that what’s really behind the push to get rid of the Central Park carriage horses are developers who are perhaps looking to turn the stable properties into condos. According to Crain’s New York, Steve Nislick, developer and founder of anti-carriage-horse group New Yorkers for Clean, Livable and Safe Streets, is a big de Blasio contributor. The group spearheaded an anti-Christine Quinn campaign when she was one of de Blasio’s major rivals in the mayoral race.Meanwhile, Forel said the argument about the horses being sent to slaughterhouses is a scare tactic. “If true, it will be the owners that take them there because the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries has lined up homes for all the horses if the owners are willing to give them up.” So what’s really behind the bid to ban carriage horses, a tradition in New York for more than 150 years? The animal rights activists, as well as the carriage horse owners and drivers who will lose their livelihoods, present compelling, sharply contrasting cases. Those of us who have no horse in this race want to hear more. Can a compromise be reached? Perhaps the new enforcement-patrol stables recently built in Central Park could be extended to include carriage horses? What do you think, Mayor de Blasio? Playwright Mike Vogel blogs at newyorkgritty.net.

My comments: I hesitated to post the AM-NY piece because it gives credence to the land grab scenario by Steve Nislick/NY Class, which I do not believe to be true. But it has gotten its own legs.

this is an anti-animal lobby group

The Calvary Group, out of St. Louis, is mentioned in Matt Bershadker’s CNN piece. This is a crucial piece of information. This organization is pro puppy mills and pro horse-slaughter. According to the Daily News “The outfit has opposed several “animal rights” measures around the U.S., including a ballot question in Missouri to crack down on so-called “puppy mills” and a referendum in North Dakota that would make it a felony to maliciously and intentionally harm dogs, cats or horses.””These are the clients they take on and this is the reason there has been so many pro carriage horse pieces in the media recently. The carriage drivers seem to think this is a good thing to be represented by a group of extremists that are opposed to any animal welfare standards that would negatively affect the pocket book of their “owners.”This is from the Calvary Group’s web site: The Cavalry Group is a member based company made of up animal owners, animal-related businesses, and corporate concerns. We have joined together to fight the radical animal rights agenda legally, legislatively, and financially nation-wide. We protect your rights to own animals and operate animal oriented businesses from attacks by animal rights extremists. The Cavalry Group partners with animal owners and businesses as a collective force to counter legislative attacks driven by radical animal rights groups on state and federal levels. This is a link to the bills they oppose — The SAFE Act to stop sending American horses to be slaughtered; the anti puppy mill bill plus efforts to upgrade anti-cruelty laws.

NY Magazine recently published an odd article that is not worth promoting. However, Donny Moss – film maker of “Blinders: the Truth Behind the Tradition” commented: This article doesn’t articulate why animal advocacy groups assert that horse-drawn carriages cannot be operated humanely or safely in NYC — and why that can’t be fixed. Here are three reasons: 1) Horses are prey animals who sometimes flee when spooked by sirens, potholes, bright colors or other stimuli. The blinders, which partially restrict their vision, aren’t foolproof. Over the years, spooked carriage horses, who become weapons when running frantically down a busy street, have caused many tragic accidents. No amount of regulation or enforcement can prevent horses from spooking. 2) Horses are grazing animals, but NYC has no pasture. The carriages horses are either confined to their stalls or between the shafts of their carriages, burdened by equipment. Denying the horses the chance to graze and move around unencumbered each day is inhumane. As herd animals, horses should also have the opportunity to interact physically. Without a pasture for daily turnout, the horses are unable to fulfill their most basic instincts. 3) One doesn’t need to be an equine expert to see that horse-drawn carriages shouldn’t be mixing with taxis, buses, ambulances and other motor vehicles in the most congested city streets in the country.

Saturday February 1st

Please join the Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages and activists for our educational demo against the inhumane and unsafe horse-drawn carriage trade.

• When: Saturday February 1st – 1:00 to 3:00 pm
• Where: North/west corner of Central Park South and Fifth Avenue

Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, Google Blog & Flickr

• Twitter –Click Here to join us
• Facebook – No Walk in the Park
• Facebook – Horses Without Carriages International
• Check out Youtube channel. Click Here.
• Visit our photo gallery at Flickr
• Visit our blog – Carriage Horses NYC

Also check out Cafe Press to purchase CBHDC merchandise

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 hereto get started.On iGive – the name of our organization is “The Coalition for NYC Animals, Inc.” 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.