Rules for carriage horses in NYC

Another long hot summer, another season when their "jobs" must have taken a terrible toll on carriage horses in New York City. A Q & A column in the NYTimes last month spelled out what to do if you witness animal cruelty toward a carriage horse or any animal in NY.

Report it to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Humane Law Enforcement dept. at 212-876-7700, ext. 4450, or humanel@aspca.org. The ASPCA handles these complaints for the city's health dept., whose rules for carriage horses include . . .

1. If the air temp is 90 degrees F or the wet bulb temp ( a humidity indicator) is 85 degrees, drivers must stop working horses and make sure they're cooled off and walked to the stable.

2. In the winter months, they must be covered with blankets while awaiting passengers. (no mention of temperature)

3. Horses must be given at least 15 minutes rest for every two working hours, and cannot be driven faster than at a trot.

4. They must not be worked more than 9 hours in any continuous 24-hour period or during "adverse weather" including snow, ice, heavy rain or other slippery conditions.

5. A veterinarian's exam is required every eight months.

Probably the most laughable rule is the recent City Council requirement at least five weeks' vacation for each horse every 12 months, at a stable allowing access to a paddock or pasture.

Well, all these rules are on the books anyway. And once in a while, one or two of them may even be enforced. Meanwhile, the poor horses plod on.
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A bill to end horse-drawn carriages in NYC

A New York State senator has introduced a bill – S5013 – to ban horse-drawn carriages in New York City. We can only hope that this bill will result in the elimination of the sight we see, and choke up over, near the Plaza Hotel, of poor, overworked horses (who shouldn’t be “worked” at all) waiting to pull carriages full of tourists.

How medieval, cruel and unnecessary.

According to a press release from Friends of Animals, “More than 200 horses are forced to pull carriages and tourists in New York City, but that could be stopped by a bill introduced by . . . Senator Tony Avella.

"Senator Avella has taken this initiative to the state level," said Edita Birnkrant, New York director of Friends of Animals. "We laud this step to make New York City a travel destination with safety and fairness in mind for all. “Bill S5013 would amend New York City's administrative code to prohibit horse-drawn cabs. It would also prevent current carriage horses from being sold off to killer buyers.

“Last summer, Friends of Animals facilitated the rescue of Bobby, a New York City carriage horse, from a slaughter auction in New Holland, Pennsylvania. "Advocates can't spot and rescue every industry-worn horse," said Birnkrant. "Thank goodness Bobby is safe. But only a ban will end the cycle."

According to the release, “Senator Tony Avella (D), representing the 11th New York State Senate district, served on the New York City Council until 2009, and supported the effort to ban horse-drawn carriages consistently. The senator worked closely with Friends of Animals to create the landmark ban bill introduced into the Council in 2007.

“New Yorkers have seen several horrific accidents involving frightened horses,” the release continued.

“In September 2007 a 12-year old mare named Smoothie, left unattended, bolted; one of her legs became entangled in a carriage wheel as she crashed into a tree, went into shock and died. In 2009, an accident at Central Park ended in hospitalizations of a cab driver and a carriage driver. Motorcyclists and pedestrians have been hit, sustaining bone breaks. Cars have been smashed. Buggies have tumbled. Horses have broken free and run through the streets of Manhattan. From time to time the media announce deaths of horses: Nickels, Spotty, Juliet; the list goes on. A horse called Jackie was shocked to death by an electrical line in the rain.

“Not a single one of these tragedies needed to happen," said Birnkrant. "New York City is a lovely place for walking. For tourists wanting to take a ride, pedicabs offer tours through Central Park."

(Note: although this post deals with a bill in New York, the image shows a carriage horse in Philadelphia.)
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