On the morning of June 24th of last year, I turned on my computer to see an e-mail that immediately caught my attention.
The subject line was “ex-carriage horse in kill broker lot PA.”
The e-mail asked if I knew anyone who could help to “save this gentle gelding from slaughter” since they had only two days until Saturday at 6 p.m. to find a secure home.
If one was not found in that time, the horse would return to the slaughter pen.
His description read “Bay gelding ex carriage horse has license plate on front left hoof quiet, gentle broke to ride/drive.” He had already been purchased by a kill buyer but a Good Samaritan was trying to find a home for him.
Knowing the urgency, I quickly went into high gear and reached out to several people to see who might rescue this horse. Fortunately, Susan Wagner of Equine Advocates accepted the challenge. With all the paper work involved, it was not until Monday that the horse, who later became known as Bobby II Freedom, arrived at their sanctuary in Chatham, NY.
HORSE SLAUGHTER IN THE US: For years, polls have shown that the majority of Americans are opposed to horse slaughter.
The horse has a special place in our history. We don’t eat him and we don’t like to see him slaughtered. And we do not tolerate seeing him abused.
Although there are currently no slaughter facilities in the United States to process horses for human food, it is not illegal to truck American horses to Canada and Mexico to be slaughtered for meat that is shipped to countries like France, Italy, Belgium and Japan where it is considered a delicacy.
In 2010, 53,104 horses from the United States were sent to Mexico and 59,693 were sent to Canada to be slaughtered. So far this year, almost 70,000 horses have been exported for slaughter. This information was reported by the Equine Welfare Alliance.
Kill auctions like New Holland in Pennsylvania and Unadilla in upstate New York, to name a few, are the first stop on the way to the slaughter facilities. These two are convenient to NYC carriage owners. Auctions are hazardous places and the horses are in danger of being injured, killed, becoming ill – and being purchased for slaughter as Bobby was.
The NYC carriage industry has often been accused of sending their horses to auction, but we did not have proof until now. This was a careless transaction by the owner where the horse was dumped at a public auction – New Holland – with a visible 4-digit ID number engraved on his left front hoof. But it was good fortune for Bobby and was the means I used to track him back to West Side Livery stable, one of four carriage horse stables in NYC.
These kinds of transactions are usually not so open. Over the years we have heard rumors that this ID number is sanded off when the horse is taken to auction so there is no way to identify a NYC horse.
WHERE DO ALL THE HORSES GO? Since 2005, I have been analyzing Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DoH) horse registry lists, which I obtain through the Freedom of Information Law. At any given time, there are approximately 200-220 registered NYC carriage horses in the system. My analysis has revealed that at least 1/3 of the carriage horses, between 60 and 70, who are in the system one year, are not the following year. And because this is a snap shot comparing two dates, which are usually about one year apart, it is probably on the low side since some horses come into and leave the system in that period of time.
The carriage horse owners claim that they find homes for all their horses. But the law is written in such a way to support a closed door secretive industry. If they do find homes, then the industry should not mind a system where they need to provide records and do the best thing for the horses.
The existing law requires that if a horse is sold within New York City, the seller must provide the name and address of the buyer to the DoH within ten days. Horses sold within NYC are generally sold within the industry to another driver. NYC is not a horse buying town.
However, if the horse is sold outside NYC, the only requirement is to let the DoH know that the horse is no longer in the system. There are no protections and no controls for the horses.
It is no mystery why the existing law does not regulate horses being sold outside of NYC. This way, the owner can make his living in a system that has as few controls as possible on his business. He can sell the horse to another carriage horse business, to work on an Amish farm or bring the horse directly to the slaughter auctions. Or he might even retire the favorites to a sanctuary or his own farm if he has one.
But the horse has no protection and his fate is entirely at the discretion of his owner.
LILLY’S STORY: The late Lilly O’Reilly was a NYC carriage horse sold to a carriage business in Boston in 2006 via New Holland. She was fortunately rescued along the way and her story can be seen on the web site of the Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages. She was 200 pounds underweight. She was also very depressed and distant and did not come out of her shell until she was adopted by an equine veterinarian and went to live with another horse and a rescued donkey who quickly became her pals. She only lived a short time after that, but at least she was loved and wanted. Both she and the other horse had gotten sick but she did not recover. Her caretaker said it was due to her previous hard life on the streets.
PUT UP OR SHUT UP: The new bill, Intro 670, introduced by Council Member Melissa Mark-Viverito, finally has the horses’ welfare at heart. Owners will be required to sell or donate their horse to an individual, animal sanctuary or animal protection organization that must sign an assurance that the horse be kept solely as a companion animal, will not be sold, will not employed in another horse-drawn carriage business and will be cared for humanely for the remainder of the horse’s natural life. Records with the buyer’s contact information must be submitted to the Department of Health.
We hope that the City Council will support this bill and understand that these horses must be treated with kindness and respect.
Elizabeth Forel has been an animal advocate for more than 25 years. She is president and co-founder of the Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages, started in 2006, an all volunteer grass-roots group that focuses on New York City, and co-founder of Horses Without Carriages International, a global coalition representing advocates from many cities throughout the world, standing in solidarity to expose the injustice, cruelty, and inhumanity in the horse-drawn carriage industry
Bobby Rolling Image Source: Jim Craner
The solution is to outlaw the carriage rides.
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They have no access to pasture?! Are you kidding me? And you expect me to believe that these people care about their horses?
yes – that is absolutely true. No turnout. The legal requirement for stalls is only 60 sq. ft. It used to be 48 sq. ft until last year. So the horses work legally up to 9 hours a day and go back to their stalls where they stay until the next day and then they go out again. All of the stables are warehouse type buildings on the far west side of Manhattan and have stalls on upper floors. This means the horses have to go up a steep ramp for access, which is hard on arthritic horses, which many of the older ones are.
It is not OK to put your horse in this kind of a situation. It means you don’t care. It means you have more of an interest in making money off the back of your horse and will accept inferior conditions. It also means that you are wearing blinders as you stick with what you have — defending the status quo. This means – small stalls, no turnout for 47 weeks a year, working in very heavy traffic for 9 hours a day, 7 hours a week – and i could go on.
Please visit our web site at http://www.banhdc.org for more information. Look at the 15 reasons why this industry should be shut down.
“yes – that is absolutely true. No turnout.”
Every single NYC carriage horse has access to pasture/turnout; about 80% of them have had this for YEARS, and last year, we were proactive in passing a law that brought that figure to 100%. Now, by law, NYC carriage horses must spend 5 weeks a year outside the city at pasture; 95% of them get much more, and at least 50% get 6 months a year, as my horses do.
” So the horses work legally up to 9 hours a day and go back to their stalls where they stay until the next day and then they go out again. ”
Yes, and?
“All of the stables are warehouse type buildings”
Every single carriage stable was BUILT as a stable. The CofOs are on record at the DoB. Avail yourself of them. (BTW, there is nothing wrong with converting buildings to house horses, just as there’s nothing wrong with converting carriage houses or stables to house people.)
“on the far west side of Manhattan and have stalls on upper floors. This means the horses have to go up a steep ramp for access, which is hard on arthritic horses, which many of the older ones are.”
“Steep ramps” my Aunt Fanny. All the ramps have a reasonable incline, and the average horse climbs the ramp in 5-10 seconds. What do you think a horse does when he encounters a hill in the pasture? Go around it? And how’s about some proof that “many of our older horses are arthritic”?
“It is not OK to put your horse in this kind of a situation.”
That is what is called a subjective opinion. We OWN these horses, we are a legal and regulated business. If YOU owned a horse, then you could decide NOT to keep them in the city.
“It means you don’t care. It means you have more of an interest in making money off the back of your horse and will accept inferior conditions.”
That you want to take away homes and jobs from horses to turn them into lawn ornaments in a fantasy “sanctuary” for the rest of their lives shows that YOU don’t care. You also don’t seem to mind that if these horses were found places on “sanctuaries”, that they would be taking up precious space that horses in REAL need could use. You also make no mention of the FACT that “sanctuaries” go out of business for lack of funds all the time, and some, like the recent Ton of Love, are found to be keeping the horses in abysmal conditions.
” It also means that you are wearing blinders as you stick with what you have — defending the status quo.”
Our status quo is just fine, and defend it we will.
Apparently you have not done your research. NYC carriage horses most certainly do have access to pasture, much more so than many expensive horses in other disciplines EVER see.
We care so much for our horses that we house, feed, vet, shoe, bathe, groom, exercise, and vacation them.
What do YOU do for a horse?
It is just amazing to me how childish and sophomoric the carriage drivers are with their comments – making it a personal war against me … spending countless hours on the computer thinking up new lies to throw out there about all of their critics. Suggesting that I would do something illegal or unethical because this is the way they live their life – this projection is so transparent. Today it’s me, tomorrow it’s Donny, or WAR, or Nislick or 212HP. Making up names to supplement their own name so they can comment several times to make it seem like they are many people. Pathetic.
Can you come up with anything else to say about me or have you said it all.? To anyone who is watching it clearly shows that you do not have a good argument. Nada.
This issue is about a business that many if not most New Yorkers want to shut down. It is time. It is past time. The fact that there are no controls over where the horses end up is something that should have been addressed a long time ago. If all of you really cared about your horses – if they really did end up someplace good – then you should not be averse to providing documentation. You would not run kicking and screaming that it is your property and you can do what you want. You would be proud to let people know that your horse ended up in a good sanctuary.
Intro 670 is actually the A section of the electric car bill – Intro 86 – and the Avella and Rosenthal state bill – but now it is a stand alone bill. Since the Council is taking its time deciding about Intro 86 – the least they could do is make sure that all horses get a good retirement.
This carriage business is not accountable for a lot. You exploit horses to make money. You want it your way or the highway, which is how you got yourself into this situation to begin with. If this had been a pristine above board business that treated the horses with respect, you would have been under the radar – believe me. But instead, it is made up of people who break the law anytime they think they can get away with it, which is often; pay a fortune for lobbyists and the Teamsters to keep the status quo and to cover up the truth.
You should be making plans to close up shop. Why? – because things are moving ahead whether you like it or not. Friendships are being made and deals are being done and there is not a thing you can do about it. It is all happening at the highest of levels.
This bill and this latest issue is just the icing on the cake.
“pay a fortune for lobbyists and the Teamsters to keep the status quo and to cover up the truth.”
I believe that it is the ASPCA who has shelled out God knows how much money now to their own lobbying group, which is NY-CLASS. Go look it up.
What is there to “cover up”? Don’t you think that SOMEONE in all their unannounced inspections of the carriage horse stables would be able to provide PROOF of this “cover up”?
Why does Tony Avella and everyone else who hates the carriage industry feel justified to LIE about the conditions in which the horses are kept? It’s a FACT that all carriage horses live in box stalls at least 7 feet wide, and here’s Sen. Avella on TV saying horses live in stalls “this wide” holding his hands 3 feet apart.
If the supporters of the carriage horse business are pointing fingers at the libel of all these groups – NY-CLASS, CBHDC, 212HORSEPOWER, PeTA – it’s because you’re ALL equally complicit in your refusal to tell the truth about BASIC FACTS. It’s not “paranoid” or “immature” – it’s a REASONABLE response to your irresponsible and libelous actions. Yes, the carriage industry is being defensive – they’re DEFENDING the horses and their homes.
Speaking of lobbying… The Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages a subcommittee of a 501c4 lobbying group, right? You DO know that the COIB frowns GREATLY on city employees appearing before other city agencies as lobbyists, right?
Christina – you are so desperate, it is really pathetic. You do not know what you are talking about, which makes it even more pathetic.
For one thing – I must correct you – the “know it all” – about the use of the word libel. Libel is written. Slander is spoken. Please get your information straight – you sound like a jerk.
You are a Philadelphia carriage driver with a huge know it all mouth who does not live in NYC. You have no idea how big ALL of the stables are so just shut up and do us all a favor. But you tell people you do. If the stall were 4 x 8 you would say it was good. You have a clear cut conflict of interest based on earning money – not the welfare of horses. Draft horses need at least a 12 x 12 stall. To say that is not true just shows where you are coming from – and that is from a position of ignorance and a conflict of interest – making money over horse welfare. We cannot believe anything you say.
You think you are scaring me about mentioning where I work. Another dumb ploy. I am not stupid. Do you think I would have taken this on if I did not dot all my i’s and cross my t’s. The answer is no. You have absolutely no idea what you are talking about. And BTW – I do not lobby. Why would i waste my time. It is all about Christine Quinn. And the 64,000 dollar question is – will the drivers convince her – or will Steve Nislick convince her. The jury is out on that one.
And BTW, Christina – get a life. And get off the keyboard. Don’t you have some horses to attend to. Oh, I know, you don’t.
You bore me. I have to get on to other things. I am not interesting in discussing anything with such a clogged up mind.
If Christina “bores” you, and you’re “not interested in discussion”, then why are you posting? And why are you anonymous?
Oh, and btw, Christina *does* know how big every stable is – how do I know? I accompanied her to 3 out of 4, and others in the industry accompanied her to the 4th.
Christina has forgotten more about horses than you’ll ever know.
“It’s a FACT that all carriage horses live in box stalls at least 7 feet wide, and here’s Sen. Avella on TV saying horses live in stalls “this wide” holding his hands 3 feet apart.”
Complicit is right, drafthorse — E. Forel was standing right next to Avella when he said this for the cameras.
hrslady, just curious, why do any of us bother with these radicals? It reminds me of something my father used to say. “Don’t argue with Goldfish they are so stupid they shit in the same water they drink” Where we all need to concentrate our efforts is with the reasonable people in the world. For instance, at each and every one of my special events I take the time to educate my riders about the radical animal rights movement and what they are trying to do to the horse and carriage industry. Remind people of their true agenda, and let them know about the well funded dupe they are being fed via the TV to raise money for a cause that is intentionally a switch and bait tactic. Educate the public, they are who we need to be talking to. These self righteous tunnel visioned fanatics ARE NOT main stream society.
City Council it is high time you stop looking the other way. Enough with giving in to the carriage horse industry and it can be replaced with electric cars and NO one will miss seeing these poor miserable horses surrounding the park!!!
Until NYC’s elected officials take these horses off the city streets and out of harm’s way, the least they can is ensure that they are retired instead of slaughtered.
All well and good but who will be paying for , raising funds, providing these “retirement ” services for these animals ? Will each of you who lobbied to have the Bill passed be donating your time or money to the care and well being of the animals? And how are these retirement farms going to be funded? How will the horse owners be compensated?
So, Heather – is your solution to slaughter the horses???? So concerned about money for the horses’ retirement. Seems simple to me – a portion of the money earned by the owners should go into a trust to provide funds for the retirement for each of their horses (that have earned them significant money under horrific conditions in NYC)
Pamela – such silly handwringing and jumping to conclusions. I don’t see Heather proposing our horses go to slaughter. As stated above, we not only have the NY Humane Society offering a carriage horse adoption program, but we have an official retirement facility with Blue Star Equiculture of Palmer, Mass. BTW, what have *YOU* done for a horse lately? They can’t eat keyboards, yanno.
Pamela we are not just talking about horses that are at the point of retirement. The bill affects and encompasses all horses Licensed for Carriage purposes in NYC.
Do I think a small tariff to each fare to help raise funds for retirement homes for those that need it is a fantastic idea. A dollar or two a fare over the career of a working horse ..sounds like a much better plan then the Bill your proposing.
Where your intentions become clear is in the wording of the Bill
requiring that all horses be rehomed to a companion only lifestyle is self serving to those that believe these and all animals should not participate in a symbiotic lifestyle with people.
That Bill does not protect horses it makes the task of rehoming them into companion only homes arduous at best.
Also I’d like for you to PROVE with facts your above statement “that have earned them significant money under horrific conditions in NYC” Show me drives getting rich off their supposed significant income and please show me those horrid conditions.
From what I can tell NYC carriage horses have more mandated vet supervision then just about any and every private sector farm I’ve witnessed.
Oh, Donny, Donny, Donny…
When are you EVER going to provide any factual evidence to back up your claims?
100,000 horses in the US get slaughtered every year, and they AREN’T carriage horses.
NYC carriage owners place nearly all of their horses in private retirement homes, ready for second careers as family pets, trail horses, therapeutic riding horses, etc., etc. Those that they don’t get placed through retirement programs like those at Blue Star Equiculture or the New York Humane Society.