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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Of 2 minds toward carriage horses

This afternoon in Philadelphia some people took Valentine's day rides bundled up in horse-drawn carriages, while other people held signs against that very activity, invited passersby to sign a petition against the carriage industry and gave out information and candy hearts.

The approach used by the second group, members of FriendsofAnimals.org, was 100% different from how other demonstrations are handled in NYC. More on that difference soon.

For now, just think about this: A February day with temperatures in the low 30s and wind. Streets poorly cleaned after the 2nd of two big storms, leaving ruts of snow and ice to drive over -- or, in the case of the carriage horses (already burdened with their solitary, plodding lives, involuntarily inhaling vehicle exhaust and Philadelphia dirt . . .) to walk over, pulling a carriage full of humans -- who somehow find this experience "romantic" and "fun."

Not for the carriage horses this greeting: "Have a good day!"
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She 'doth protest too much'

Visitors are invited to read the comment that was received within hours of the post earlier today. Fascinating. (Gosh, is there any chance this person is connected, profitably, with the carriage trade?) Please note: no reference to the carriage horses who have inhaled exhaust and dirt day after day; to those who have had to plod over all sorts of road surfaces in the worst weather; to those who were hurt or died on the job; to the hearings in New York about insufficient stall size and general upkeep.

Carriage horses as "icons" and "ambassadors" for New York City, or any city?! Oh, please. Is that what a horse's nature calls for?

A look at the websites of the organizations acting on behalf of carriage horses will detail the cruelty of these "working horses"' lives. (www.banhdc.org) Ms. Flynn's comments are sadly predictable but wholly unconvincing.
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Love and the animals

Valentine’s weekend = a fine time to show your love for animals by demonstrating against fur and/or the carriage horse trade. Just as it’s true that Thanksgiving doesn’t have to mean death for turkeys, it’s also true that Valentines doesn’t have to mean fur coats (thanks to slaughtered animals) or “romantic” carriage rides (thanks to cruelly abused horses).

Can’t humans just celebrate their holidays and leave animals alone?!

* Caring Activists Against Fur will hold a major demo in NYC this weekend. Here are the specs (from the website: www.caafgroup.com):

Saturday, Feb. 13 - Have a Heart march and protest in NYC
1:00 - 1:15 gather at Columbus Circle
1:15 - 1:30 march down Central Park South
1:30 - 3:00 protest in front of Bergdorf Goodman 754 Fifth Avenue (57th and 58th Sts.)

* On Valentine’s Day, Sunday, February 14, three groups against horse-drawn carriages (Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages [www.banhdc.org], Friends of Animals [friendsofanimals.org], Heart for Animals) will sponsor “a peaceful demo and rally to protest the inhumane and unsafe horse-carriage trade,” from 1-3 pm. On “a day of love and kindness to all” (including horses, for a change!) they invite participants to meet at Central Park South and 5th Avenue, near the hack line. Demonstrators will ask people not to make a date with cruelty by boycotting horse-drawn carriages.

Love means never wearing fur or riding in horse-drawn carriages.
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Winter's worst sights

A winter day in New York City is also a day for wearing buttons: one showing "FUR" with a diagonal line through it, and one about saving the carriage horses. (Who in his/her right mind needs a ride in a carriage drawn by a horse . . . in New York City . . . on a frigid January day? Beyond that, who ever needs such a ride?)

The furs were out there in force -- on women who would have been just as warm in layers and cloth coats. One woman at a museum looked to be wearing her big sister's fur coat, it was that voluminous and long. Another wore a high, rounded fur hat as she chatted with friends.

(My courage deserted me: I couldn't think of an effective way to talk to these fur-wearing women about what their garments cost the animals who originally wore the fur, without being screamed at or hit. So what does a coward do? she frowns, glowers, hisses inside . . .)

And the poor dear carriage horses. While their muffled-up drivers looked straight ahead, the horses made their way along the streets, looking to me like miserable slaves who had absolutely no escape till death -- a fate some of them have already experienced prematurely. What temperature does it take to let them stay off the streets for a day? Who looks out for the horses' welfare?

If I had $1 million -- or billion? -- I'd close down the cruel anachronism of "horse drawn cabs" and put all the horses now involuntarily involved out to pasture. I can picture them now, running free in green meadows.

Which prompts this question: what would you do first for animals if you had unlimited funds? What one thing would you do to make a positive difference?
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