Philadelphia, set them free!

It seems like "deju vu" seeing the video from a recent peaceful demonstration in Philadelphia. The miserable icy weather, the horses standing in the chill for hours, the driver enjoying a smoke inside the carriage while the horses get soaked with a freezing rain. Looks like New York City, to be sure. The Philadelphia activists and others around the world joined forces and staged peaceful demonstrations on December 5, a day of action sponsored by Horses Without Carriages International, the global initiative that seeks to ban the use of horse-drawn carriages. Learn more at HWCI.
The Philadelphia demonstration was staged by Pennsylvania Chapter of Friends of Animals.

Where carriage horses live

Surely West Side Livery, one of five carriage horse stables in Manhattan, is one of the worst homes that a horse could have. Most New York City residents go about their daily business not thinking about where the carriage horses live, or perhaps imagining that they are housed in a bucolic setting somewhere in the park. An Animals' Angels investigation tells the real story: tie stalls, sand buckets for fire protection, horses tethered to feeding troughs. Read the report on the website of the Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages. Then take a look at the interior of the stable, which is located at 538 W. 38th Street. (You really should see it for yourself.)
Related news: A New York City veterinarian detailed concerns about the multistory stable, including its complete lack of fire protection system, poor ventilation that compromises the horses' respiratory health, inadequate bedding and cramped standing stalls. Watch a news conference co-sponsored by the coalition, Friends of Animals, and Heart for Animal Rights.

The law, for what it's worth

When it comes to jaywalking and horn-honking, New Yorkers disregard laws every day. We overlook these violations and proceed at our own risk.

How often have you seen a New York City carriage horse working in steamy 90-degree heat? The New York City Administrative Code has this to say: "Carriage horses shall not be worked whenever the air temperature is 90 degrees Fahrenheit or above." (There is no consideration for humidity in the law).

So, the next time the mercury soars above 90 degrees, with high humidity, and when you witness the sight of these horses dragging carriages around and inhaling exhaust fumes, ask yourself: Is this necessary? Is it right? Read a recap of the 2007 audit report.

Please get involved with the growing movement that supports proposed legislation to ban horse-drawn carriages in New York City. For decades, attempts at regulation have failed miserably. A full ban is supported by a diverse coalition of dozens of organizations including: The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the Humane Society of the United States, Friends of Animals, Farm Sanctuary, Equine Advocates, and many others.

What's with the fluff from the Times?

The New York Times must be feeling the pinch or letting unpaid interns run the show these days. What's with all the puff pieces, the spoon-fed news releases masquerading as stories, and the lack of balance? What happened to fact-checking? Where's the rest of the story?
Read a letter by Priscilla Feral, President of Friends of Animals as published in the Times (April 2008)
Support a ban on horse-drawn carriages