Call Now, Help the Horses!

It only takes a minute! Please call your New York City Council member this week (February 19, 20, and 21) and urge your representative to support Tony Avella's groundbreaking legislation (Intro. 658) to ban horse-drawn carriages. This measure would protect horses and the public.

Not a NY resident? Please call Mayor Michael Bloomberg at 212-NEW-YORK and urge him to support the ban. Be sure he knows that this decision may affect your tourism choices. Mention that when you do visit, you hate to see the horses suffer by having to travel up to 2 miles in heavy traffic (and not having enough drinking water, and working in excessive heat and cold and inclement weather). Urge the mayor NOT to wait for another horse to die--the time is now to put an end to this cruel trade.

Poor oversight of the industry was documented in a city audit (September 2007). The horses also suffer debilitating hoof and leg ailments, live a "nose-to-tailpipe" existence and breathe in toxic exhaust fumes that are associated with severe equine lung disease, and often "spook" and are involved in gruesome accidents. This is what happened in September to Smoothie, and this month 8-year-old Clancy died in his stall from causes than haven't been released--the city health department is refusing to cooperate with the ASPCA's request for information.

Your phone call this week will mean a great deal to the success of this campaign. Call now!

Did you know? The carriage industry has hired two lobbyists and a PR person. Last week, two drivers--Ian McKeever and Patrick Byrne were seen at a "meet and greet" at City Hall along with one of the lobbyists. They're making sure their voices are heard. Make your own voice heard this week!