Thursday, July 3, 2008

Don't ask an officer to help a horse

The treatment of the horses in Central Park in summertime is an absolute disgrace, and few people give a damn about it. Suppose you are a compassionate person who wants to report mistreatment or abuse, at 11 p.m., or midnight, or even later. You would tell a police officer, wouldn't you? Sadly, most don't care and most don't know the laws pertaining to horse-drawn carriages.

Last night in Central Park, at 1 a.m., a horse's legs were buckling under, no doubt after a long shift or two in the heat with not enough water (lack of water was one of the problems disclosed in the city's audit of the industry in 2007). The police officers were told and did nothing, and even acted indignant. The night before, at the request of tourists, a driver whipped a horse to gallop. Did you know this is against the law? This was news to the individual who returned the call from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). Animal protectors? Pardon me while I puke.
Is this provincial China or New York City? It's becoming difficult to tell the difference. Corrupt politicians, complacent police officers, and ignorant employees of an organization that has a mission to prevent cruelty. ASPCA founder Henry Bergh must be spinning in his grave. And cops here are known for their ignorance of law. I've seen them say it's illegal to feed pigeons, for example. NOT.
READ "A Day at the Hack Line" (2007)
DON'T just stand there, do something! Volunteer for the Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages
HOLIDAY weekends? Not for the horses. Learn more about Bud's accident (2007)
Note: THE ASPCA supports a full ban on horse-drawn carriages, and this can't come soon enough because the organization obviously is ill-equipped to do much about the plight of the horses.
UPDATE: The New York Police Department has a mandate to uphold all laws, including those pertaining to carriage horses. Officers generally choose to look the other way when they see violations in the horse-drawn carriage industry. Summonses can be issued also by the NYC Department of Mental Health and Hygiene and the Parks Department, as well as the ASPCA.

1 comment:

LOST FROM THIS GOOD EARTH - JEW AT THE BEACH said...

Yes, it is disgusting that when an individual witnesses cruelty to any animal, you give the organization who claims to work diligently to rescue animals from abuse give you NOTHING, but there sympathy. Sympathy is not enough - who will speak for these animals if we, the individuals don't. Congress, elected officials, agencies - they, along with a self-absorbed society have betrayed the animals of our planet. The time has come for action, not asking for donations to pay salaries for people who sit on their ZZZZXX and claim to want to save animals from misery and agonizing death. Thanks for the article, the writing.