And another tragic death

Tourists watched in horror as Birillo suffered
A beautiful horse named Birillo died recently in Rome, after spooking and losing his footing when a truck sped close to him near the Colosseum, perhaps even grazing him. A crowd of tourists watched in horror as Birillo suffered and had to be put down. Those sad images brought to mind the painful memory of Smoothie,the New York City carriage horse who died in September 2007 after spooking.
Larger photo: Birillo, 2008, Rome. Inset: Smoothie, 2007, NYC.

Even as Birillo lay dying a few days ago, a global movement was gaining strength--an international coalition that seeks to ban horse-drawn carriages. On Saturday, December 6, activists in cities around will world will mark "Horses Without Carriages International" day, a united effort to bring this issue to the forefront in cities around the world. Anti-carriage activists in Rome, New York City, Boston, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Charleston, S.C., Annapolis, Md., Dublin, Florence, Tel Aviv, and Victoria, Canada are planning peaceful demonstrations to make it known that putting horse-drawn carriages in the midst of city traffic is irrelevant, cruel, unnecessary, and simply wrong.
Take action wherever you are on December 6, 2008, and all throughout the coming year, to unite with others who want to put an end to horse-drawn carriages in cities. Learn more about Horses Without Carriages International and the NYC day of action, sponsored by the Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages.
More information to come...

Noisy spectacles: what have we learned?

Noise near horses: "human error"
The sights and sounds of Central Park, particularly the southernmost section that is the carriage horses' primary workplace, lend it a carnival-like atmosphere. Indeed, Wollman Rink is transformed into an actual amusement park in the summertime.

A recent parade procession unfolded near the hack line, complete with floats, bells, drummers, and bullhorns herding parade-goers toward Fifth Avenue. It ended well, but conjured up memories of the accident last year that killed Smoothie. Spooked by the sound of drums, the mare bolted, collapsed and died.

Such a response to noise is tragic but predictable among these nervous animals. After Smoothie's death, the carriage industry said it would call for a ban on "overly loud" music in the area. “It’s a deep human error on their part to make that music around these horses," said Smoothie's owner, Cornelius Byrne, speaking from his heart as well as his head. But nothing changes--the noisy spectacles continue in the park and around the hack line.
The park was very crowded and had a circus atmosphere on Thursday evening, a muggy night that saw the horses out in full force. The Parks Department, among other entities that can issue summonses for failure to comply with regulations set forth for the carriage industry, is a virtual non-entity in enforcing these laws, generally speaking. As for the parade, an ASPCA officer who was asked if the horses should be out under these circumstances said there's nothing he could do.
Photo used courtesy of a friend of carriage horses; video provided by Donald Moss.

From the archives: this isn't tourism

Marcela D said it best: The death of Smoothie in September 2007 was a turning point:

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's comment appeared on the Web site of the Toronto Humane Society following the death of Smoothie.

ACTION ALERT: Ask New York City's elected officials to support a BAN on horse-drawn carriages.
Contact the Mayor of New York City, Michael Bloomberg (City Hall, New York, NY 10007. Phone: 311 (or: 212-New-York, outside of NYC)
Contact City Council Speaker Christine Quinn
(City Hall, New York, NY 10007). Legislative Office Phone: (212) 788-7210

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.

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!

Quotable: Wayne Pacelle

Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of the Humane Society of the United States, weighed in on the issue following the death in September 2007 of Smoothie, a mare who collapsed after getting spooked by a drummer (a daily part of life in New York's Central Park.) Here's an except.

"The carriage horse owner's association now says it wants to limit music and noise in the area to protect the horses. It's a typical diversionary tactic from the industry. Trying to limit noise that may startle horses on the margins of the park is like trying to stop birds from singing in the hinterlands. It's folly.

The only way to protect the horses is to get them off the streets. If you go to New York, don't patronize this carriage horse business. If you live in New York, let your city council members know you are unhappy with the treatment of these animals."

Read "Big Apple Bustle No Place For Horses," posted Sept. 18, 2007 on Wayne's blog
Read "The HSUS Calls on New York City to Eliminate Inhumane Carriage Horse Industry" (Dec. 8, 2007)

Eds' Note: Many experts have agreed that anything less than an outright ban on horse-drawn carriages in New York City would be inadequate. A "Band-Aid" proposal purporting to improve the treatment and circumstances of NYC carriage horses would be, well, folly. Nor is this an industry that is capable of regulating itself. (See December 22 post on Mr. Byrne.)