Bloomberg hates animals. Got it?

On another note, the city of NYC continues its slaughter of Canada geese; when people found out about Bloomberg's latest stupid assault, they were disgusted. He tried to make bad guys out of the US Department of Agriculture, but those who did the exceptionally inhumane gassing were merely doing Bloomberg's bidding. Here is one comment:

OMG.. that is so cruel. I am a Park Manager from another city. Believe me, if I try anything even close to what you have done I would be applying for a new job. These are living creatures… if you dont want them around relocate them or introduce a population control plan (i.e. remove the eggs from the nests and dispose of them)… Dont you have animal cruelty laws in NYC… OMG
— Leo (#755)

I will NEVER visit NYC while banal decisions like this are allowed to transpire… The city and it’s citizens exist in a democracy, which through action or inaction manifests collective will or lack there of. The people who make the decisions in NYC are clearly not intelligent. As many of the individuals in the 30 pages of comments have illustrated, there are far more humane and even creative ways of dealing with what contextually is a fairly simple problem. Yes, all cities exist with problems and poor decisions, but the act of taking life needlessly represents a myriad of problems that likely outweighs any desire for rational and compassionate solution. F.D. Roosevelt was simply wrong; Man has nothing to fear but LAZINESS. Try harder.--Nigel (#742)

The geese have obviously progressed over the years, in the sense they thrive despite all our attempts to harass, shoot, gas and “exterminate” (another term from WW2) them.
But, what does all this say about our own species?
A species apparently incapable of building a plane able to withstand collision with an 8 lb bird. — PattyA (#709)

Re: Bloomberg, geese-gassing: Yes, he ordered it. People need to keep this in mind. Do you think this would have happened otherwise?
Remember, most of you people who are commenting here did NOT vote last year–you welcomed Bloomberg back for a third term, despite two referenda in which the voters rejected extension of term limits. Around 90% of registered voters did not even bother. For this, we were rewarded with more Bloomberg, more killing of wildlife.— Delaney (#730)

The mayor of New York City has no regard for non-human life. Carriage horses, pigeons, raccoons, Canada geese--he despises them all.

If you hurry, you may be able to add your own comments (as of Saturday, July 17, comments were still being accepted--and hundreds of disgusted New Yorkers are weighing in).

WHY did NYC approve this slaughter? Good question. The Washington Square Park blogger tackles this one.

So glad you said that...

The fine folks from NYC & Co., the tourism agency of New York City, are seen in this amusing clip explaining in withering detail how the carriage industry rakes in the money. Never mind that the city derives not a single penny of direct revenue from this cash-only business. Kimberly Spell is persistent, though, even wagging a finger at Council Member Tony Avella several times as he listens intently to her explanation. See why Avella, sponsor of the bill that would ban horse-drawn carriages in New York City, is so delighted to hear her say it!
Avella invoked the rarely used Sponsor's Privilege rule to force a public hearing in January on two bills affecting the carriage industry: his proposed ban, and an industry bill that would help the drivers but not the horses. NYC & Co. has drunk Mayor Bloomberg's Kool-Aid, which is why their math is so fuzzy. This hilarious testimony provided comic relief during the long hearing, I'm told.
Video by Anthony Speziale. Visit "PitytheHorses" channel on YouTube for more clips (more to come, we're told!)
Also see: "One Council Member to Another"

Classic Quinn...and a prayer

Now, except for my singular rants on my favorite topic--the much-needed ban on horse-drawn carriages--I try not to get political here. No, really. I'll let others do that.

In the spirit of reconciliation, the blogger "Politiko" of Room Eight has posted a prayer for Council Speaker Christine Quinn, who has a wee problem right now: She has dug her own grave, politically speaking.

Here follows an excerpt from "A Prayer For the Most Honest Person Mayor Bloomberg Knows":

"If Mayor Bloomberg, the greatest Mayor of any City ever in the History of the World says that Christine Quinn is "the most honest person" he knows, then she must really be something special and should get through this and become our next mayor." Read more

Nothing good can come from hating animals. In fact, these are the people who typically devalue life, objectify individuals, and behave in unbelievably arrogant manner because they deem themselves to be "above it all." My motto (as stated by Esther Dyson) is: Make new mistakes. Onward, Quinn.
Also see "Immoral or Incompetent?"
Say what? The Coalition for Informed Individuals?

What We Know & What We Think We Know

A close call in Aspen for a 5-year-old girl who was trapped underneath an overturned carriage

Horses spook, and no horse is unspookable. This is patently clear and yet we continue to see disturbing and even gruesome images of accidents involving carriage horses that spooked, even in beautiful places like Aspen, Colo., which is decidedly less frantic a setting than New York City. (Photo credit: Paul Conrad/The Aspen Times)

In the Aspen accident, a car pulled up alongside the horse, causing it to spook, back up, and flail--overturning the carriage and spilling the driver and the family of five onto the sidewalk. The girl was trapped briefly but escaped serious injury. The horse was not injured. (Statistically speaking, this is highly unusual).

Aspen Police Sgt. Bill Linn was quoted as saying that horse-drawn carriages are not vehicles..."they're basically an amusement ride." This statement is not only misguided, but it poses a serious threat to public safety. It also demonstrates a disregard of the cruelty that is inherent in putting a horse into traffic.

A 1500-pound horse that spooks in traffic is a dangerous weapon. Statistically, this accident is unique in that no one was killed. Horses have an innate and finely tuned fight-or-flight instinct. They pose clear danger to themselves as well as public safety when they spook.

Learn more: Read "No Such Thing As an Unspookable Horse (Jan. 1, 2008 post, HorseWatchNYC)

New York residents (5 boroughs): Ask your elected Council Member to support Intro. 658, the bill to ban horse-drawn carriages -- Find Your Council Member Act now!
Call the mayor's office at 311 and voice your support of Intro. 658, the bill to ban horse-drawn carriages.

Non-New Yorkers: Tell the mayor's office that you don't want to visit New York until horse-drawn carriages are banned.
Email the mayor's office
Call the mayor's office at: 212-NEW-YORK (outside NYC)
Write the mayor:
Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg
City Hall
New York, NY 10007

How Many Horses Have to Die?

No secret that I have had some fun at the expense of Council Member Jessica Lappin, who I'm told is responding to all constituents who have asked her to support a ban on horse-drawn carriages (Intro. 658/2007). She was endorsed for election in 2005 by the League of Humane Voters-NYC, and the following year she endorsed a humane education program. She also co-sponsored Tony Avella's important pets in housing bill.

I do hold out hope for Jessica Lappin on this matter. Let's face it, the political machinery of the NYC carriage industry is a truly scary thing. If you are new to this issue, trust me when I tell you that many in the carriage industry are abusive to the point that I fear them. However, in 2008 we have to look forward, not backward to the 19th century. The facts are incontrovertible: the horse-drawn carriage industry in New York City is inherently inhumane and cannot be made safer. How many horses have to die?

New York is one of the world's great cities. It is time to ban this inhumane industry.

Why a full ban? Learn more
Sign the petition to ban horse-drawn carriages in NYC

New York residents (5 boroughs): Ask your elected Council Member to support Intro. 658, the bill to ban horse-drawn carriages -- Find Your Council Member This is important! Constituents' opinions matter.

New York residents: Call the mayor's office at 311 and voice your support of Intro. 658

Non-New Yorkers: Tell the mayor's office that you don't want to visit New York until horse-drawn carriages are banned.
Email the mayor's office
Call the mayor's office at: 212-NEW-YORK (outside NYC)
Write the mayor:
Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg
City Hall
New York, NY 10007

Abusive Industry Deters Tourism

Marcela D. posted a note on the Web site of the Toronto Humane Society upon hearing the news in late 2007 that another NYC carriage horse, Smoothie, had died.

This is it! Another horse suffering a needless and horrifying death. I will never visit New York again until horse-carriages are banned. I urge everyone to call or write the Mayor of New York and tell him he will be losing a lot of tourism dollars because of this.
Marcela D, Sept. 17, 2007, following the death of Smoothie

Mayor Bloomberg and the City Council, please take note: Tourism suffers when visitors see the abuse that is inherent in the horse-drawn carriage industry. Marcela D said it best: She won't travel to New York until the industry is banned. We can no longer turn our heads in the face of animal abuse in the name of profit.

The impact of New York's supporting an abusive industry is devastating, because New York City is a global trend-setter. Conversely, if the city joins the 21st century and enacts a ban--as so many other cities worldwide already have done--the impact would be tremendous.

Attention, non-New Yorkers: Contact Mayor Bloomberg's office and ask for support of a ban. Your opinion matters--and your tourism dollars count.

The voices of voting NYC residents who care about carriage horses are critically important. Please make known your support for Intro. 658, the bill to ban horse-drawn carriages. Your City Council member needs to hear from you. Explain briefly that the industry is inhumane and cannot be improved. Ask your Council Member to co-sponsor Tony Avella's groundbreaking bill to end this 19th-century anachronism. If the City Council does not hear from you, your good intentions will not be enough. Please write today, and call.

Ice Doesn't Count as Drinking Water

No public water readily available, poor hoof care

The treatment of NYC carriage horses is disgraceful for many reasons, apart from the fundamental danger of putting them into traffic.

Holly Cheever, DVM and renowned equine expert, has inspected the horses at work and in their stables, after which she advised Mayor Bloomberg and the City Council on what she found: a comprehensive and alarming inventory of poor treatment. Notably, she found that the horses were deprived of adequate water and proper hoof care (although Carolyn Daly has made the smarmy quip about their "special" shoes.)

Here is a portion of Holly Cheever's letter about the care of NYC carriages horses:

"During the several years that I inspected New York's carriage horses on the street and in their stables at the request of the ASPCA and the Carriage Horse Action Committee, I noted repeated violations of basic humane equine husbandry and care principles, as follows:

• The horses were not given adequate water during their work shifts since no public water is readily available to them, and most were denied the basic presence of water buckets in their stalls.
• Many horses were afforded inadequate hoof care and shoeing, adding to their likelihood of developing or exacerbating lameness."

Even more recently, the New York City comptroller's audit in September 2007 found similarly distressing problems. The audit specifically noted a lack of drinking water for the horses and said they were forced to stand in their own waste because of inadequate drainage.

Time to ban horse-drawn carriages, as many major cities worldwide have done. Call-in days are coming up on February 19, 20, and 21. During these days, it is critical that you let your City Council representative hear from you. Ask them to support Intro. 658, the bill to ban horse-drawn carriages.

Find your New York City Council Member
Read Holly Cheever's letter to Mayor Bloomberg and the City Council (2006)
Read about the NYC Comptroller's audit of the carriage-horse industry (2007)
Photo used courtesy of The Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages