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There's been a lot of noise lately about the horse-drawn carriage industry in New York. In early September it was announced that the city comptroller audited how well the city polices the carriage horse industry (surprise: not well!). This was almost immediately followed by the death of a horse who was apparently spooked by the drums of a nearby street musician. Now all eyes are the industry, and PETA is bringing the message to a Times Square billboard, for all carriage-riding tourists to see.
The singer Pink will be teaming up with PETA for the campaign. On their website she states, "Every time I see a horse-drawn carriage in a concrete jungle, I point and yell 'animal cruelty' at the top of my lungs to try to make the driver and occupants as uncomfortable as possible. It honestly hurts my heart when I think of what those horses must be feeling, as far as anxiety and fear, and how unnatural and wrong it is for these animals to have blinders on, trotting up and down on concrete, while taxis blare and people scream. It's absolutely unnatural and ignorant of us to continue this outdated tradition. What about this is romantic?" She tells The Daily News, however, that she is "not fighting against the police horses"...yet!
Sign the petition to ban carriage horses, which will be sent to Mayor Bloomberg, here.
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Every time I see Pink, I point and yell "Shitty singer! Noise polution!" at the top of my lungs to try to make her 3 fans as uncomfortable as possible.
She is, as my father would say, "a nobody".
"Every time I see a horse-drawn carriage in a concrete jungle, I point and yell 'animal cruelty' at the top of my lungs...how unnatural and wrong it is for these animals to have blinders on, trotting up and down on concrete, while taxis blare and people scream."
Maybe you should stop screaming at them then, Pink!
Why no prob with the Police horses Pinky? They're freequently used as weapons in such instances.
peta... trying so hard to be relevant.
why is this such a big effing issue? it shouldn't be...
seriously though, these horses would be glue otherwise...not to mention the money it generates for the city by being a tourist attraction...let it be
I'm wondering what Pink does when she's in Amish country.
if there were ever a time for a joke involving pink and inside, would this be it?
Wow this group is pretty insensitive. Do you ever stop trying to be clever and hip long enough to consider anything else outside your own sphere of relevance?
It's an industry that mistreats and abuses animals and quite frankly has no place in a modern NYC. Pure and simple. I applaud her speaking out and at least attempting to contribute to a positive change.
And honestly I think the real reason you are trashing this is because the longer the horse drawn carriages stick around the more time you have to snigger condescendingly at tourists and visitors who are actually taking the rides.
It's about time we banned this crappy industry. These horses live terrible lives. They live in warehouses and it's completely unsafe to have horses in congested city traffic. Does it take a human death in NYC to make people get it? There are already human deaths throughout the rest of the country.
Having horse-drawn carriages is inviting injury and death.
Kudos to Pink for standing up for a good cause.
Have a heart! Pink is right. It's cruel to subject horses to the dangers and mayhem of an urban environment!
Have a heart! Pink is right. It's cruel to subject horses to the dangers and mayhem of an urban environment!
nonumentalart, you are so right about the horse carriage industry being the huge money-making tourist attraction it is.
since there's not a lot to do in nyc, i can't imagine tourists would continue to visit us if horse-drawn carriages are banned.
I'm very impressed with Pink for this!
novanglus- you are an idiot
As an equine veterinarian who first started inspecting these horses in the late '80's, I wholeheartedly support Pink's campaign to educate the public to boycott this tourist attraction. For the naive individual who stated that the horses would be "glue" if it were not for the carriage horse operators, the horses were purchased from "killer" sales in order for the owners to get a few more dollars out of them in their remaining months/years, and then they will be right back to the killer sales for the last few sheckels that can be wrung out of their bones and hides. Were you really so ignorant as to think that the horses would be humanely euthanised and buried respectfully on some farm when there is a last bit of profit to be made???
Also, the police horses are entirely different--their use and care and stabling are all infinitely more humane.
As for your criticism of the artist, frankly the rest of the country wonders why the h*** you New Yorkers seem to require celebrities to get you to focus on anything, rather than listening to experts. At least Pink is 100% accurate in her estimation of this industry and its abuse of its equine victims.
Pink-you are beautiful, compassionate and an inspiration to us all.
They do work them to death. remember the Monday snow storm that didn't happen? I saw them roll out those carriages as soon as the weather cleared just to make a buck. Tourists bucks.
also saw a horse get spooked by a livery cab who drove too close and too fast.
Thank you Pink for speaking the truth. The owners and drivers of NYC horse drawn carriages are know for personally attacking those who speak the truth on the NYC horse drawn carriage industry. In fact Speaker Quinn and the all powerful Queen Democratic Machine has already decided to stop this ban from happening. EVen though the ASPCA support the ban, The NYC drivers support the ban, New yorkers support the ban. Quinn will never be Mayor off the dead and sick horses in NYC. Speaker Quinn does not act on behalf of the city. She had no qualms to quash the pedicab industry which helps the city
Yay! for Pink and PETA's strong, compassionate voice calling out from Times Square speaking up for the carriage horses!
Last night at Central Park I seen the horses tied to the lighting posts with a thin sheet covering them and still attached to the carriage and harness. Very limited movement for these horses while the driver with his insulated coat is talking away on this cell phone and roaming about the street.
Finally Exposed? Most New Yorkers have a horror story to tell about this industry. HOrses passing out from heat exhaust, horses whip to pass the red light, the horses pulling carriages with over 4 passengers, horses standing in their own feces, not to mention those that were killed in traffic.
This is a public safety issues and health issue as well with all the urine and poop on the street where children walk. When the horses panic it is not only unsafe for them but for traffic and the public.
The industry states that they are highly regulated. this is not true. ASPCA is not obligated to monitor these horses and do so on a voluntary basis and cannot monitor them 24/7. the ASPCA stated that a ban is supported since this industry cannot be monitor and operated humanely in NYC streets.
Speaker Quinn is a disgrace and I will vote against her Mayor run!!!!!!!
Haven't you ever seen 'The Simpson's' New York episode. I learned that they whip the horses! Go Secretariat!
WOW PINK is hot!! and compassionate. Pink do pay mind to those haters. Yes, NYC horse drawn carriage is inhumane and corrupt. Quinn supports them because she actually believes it will help her mayor run. Quinn puts her interest before the city.
Quinn is not hot and cruel.
NYC AND TOURIST-SUPPORT THE BAN ON NYC HORSE CARRIAGE IS WHICH INHUMANE AND NOT MONITORED.
I'm with you, Roxanne. Speaker Quinn, listen to PETA and Pink, listen to New Yorkers who want a compassionate NYC. In the interests of the general improvement of society, support the ban on the horse-drawn carriage industry!
Could someone explain to me the appeal of having an old, broken-down carriage horse pull your ass around Manhattan?
Just compare those downtrodden carriage horses with the police horses in Times Square. Anyone can see the major difference between the two. Unlike carriage horses, the police horses receive proper food and shelter as well as veterinary care.
exactly Jacqueline
These drivers will do anything for a buck. the rare times that the aspca they warn each other by cellphone. As soon as the ASPCA leaves, they go back to their inhumane and corrupted ways. They would never turn down a fare if the horse is sick or not rested or if it too many passenger or the weather. These sickos don't say no. they don't see the horses as living beings capable of feeling pain but as money machine.
people treat their cars better than these drivers treat the horses in NYC
sorry to overpost but have anyone seen the "blinders" movie in youtube on NYC horse drawn carriages. you will also note the drivers' comments especially gemessis who is certain that they had all the politicans in their pocket.
Well Quinn is in their pocket and also Gennaro and perhaps Lappin.
this is why we voted for term limits and this is why we we vote their corrupt butts out of office. James Gennaro was recently fine 2,000 for using public resources for non-city purposes. surprise?, NOT
PINK THANKS FOR SPEAKING FOR US NEW YORKERS SINCE OUR POLITICIANS ARE NOT DOING THEIR JOBS FOR US
I like the horses just because they make Central Park South smell like a barn.
There is absolutely no way the Central Park carriage folks can afford to have anyone in their pockets. C'mon? How much money can possibly be being made by these guy to afford to bribe anyone. What they make in a year is an hour at a hedge fund.
I'm all for stopping the horse carriages, but PETA? Thems bitches crazy!
http://www.consumerfreedom.com/downloads/reference/docs/040726_mommykills.pdf
I'm all for stopping the horse carriages, but PETA? Thems bitches crazy!
http://www.consumerfreedom.com/downloads/reference/docs/040726_mommykills.pdf
I'm with PETA on this one. The Carriage Horse industry is not only cruel, but it makes the 5 block radius around my office smell God-awful in the summer. Ban the horse carriages!!!
To @29 - just last month there was an attempt to bribe an inspector. One can only guess how many other bribes were previously offered to overlook substandard conditions.
http://www.nypost.com/seven/12142007/news/regionalnews/unbridled_bribery_292809.htm
Yeah, but bribing an inspector is an entirely different financial league than bribing Quinn, etc.
Pink & Peta, thanks for speaking out. Here's one more person who is on your side.
How about that bribing a public official, any official, is just plain wrong, not to mention unscrupulous and AGAINST THE LAW!
The industry contributes to reelection campaigns. It's not bribery, but influence by a special interest group. They have enough money to hire a professional lobbying firm and a PR firm.
Sure, bribing officials is against the law, but sadly it's extremely common. Gem3 has it perfect. Lobbying and Pr are just above board forms of bribery. With that in mind, I just don't think Ye Olde Grand Horse and Buggy Lobby has the scratch to put anyone who can really keep them in business on the payroll. I just don't see how much cash they can possibly make hauling tourists around the park.
I'm not negating the bribery charge, by the way. That's a whole separate matter. And I wonder why Mayor Bloomberg, Speaker Quinn and the city council would support such an apparently shady industry!
I am not sure it has to be an all or nothing solution. Why not put in strict guidelines for the treatment of the horses with heavy fines for non-compliance. One full time inspector could be hired and paid for by the horse carriage folk.
Look at the auditor's report from June 2007 and you will see just a few of the substandard conditions the horses have to deal with--no water or shade on the hack line, INCLUDING THE SUMMER. This is unconscionable! They stand in puddles of water and their own waste. What kind of society are we that we condone cruelty because it's a fun thing for tourists to do?
Midtown: It's impossible for this practice to be humane in an urban environment. The heat and humidity, and cold weather won't go away. The phenomena that spook a horse, causing injury and death won't go away. The exhaust fumes that cause lung damage won't go away. The hard asphalt that causes concussive injury and lameness won't go away. They will still be confined between two shafts of a carriage 9 hours a day and then put in cramped stall is urban warehouses that get as hot as ovens during the summer.
More regulations and better oversight will not make this a humane industry.
Midtown: It's impossible for this practice to be humane in an urban environment. The heat and humidity, and cold weather won't go away. The phenomena that spook a horse, causing injury and death won't go away. The exhaust fumes that cause lung damage won't go away. The hard asphalt that causes concussive injury and lameness won't go away. They will still be confined between two shafts of a carriage 9 hours a day and then put in cramped stall is urban warehouses that get as hot as ovens during the summer.
More regulations and better oversight will not make this a humane industry.
It not only bribery but the All powerful Queens machine with pulls all it support to the candidate that supports their nepotism.
Quinn opposition against the Pedicab industry and her support for the horse industry reflects how she sold out NYC. the Pedicab industry benefits the city and the horse industry hurts the city and the horses.
The existing water down regulations are not meet. More regulations just means more regulations for the drivers to ignore. The city streets are no place for horses. NYC streets are too congested. Politicans are speaking about commuter taxes due to the traffic congestions.
There is no room for these horses and it is inhumane to have them work alongside sanitation trucks, fire trucks, SUVs, city buses and tour buses. It is cruel and a bad image to the city.
This industry is funded by the taxpayers and it does not generate revenue for the city. In fact it is support by tourism and it does not support tourism. Tourist come to NYC not for the horses but for everything else. The horses carriages is only an afterthought since the tourist have cash to burn.
PLEASE CONTACT THE COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THE MAYOR TO SUPPORT THE BAN. FORGET QUINN SHE ALREADY MADE HER INSIDE BARGAINING WITH THE MACHINE. SHE CAN FORGET ABOUT THE MAYORSHIP!!!
gem3 - okay, I'm convinced, off to sign the petition.
Wonderful! Thank you.
Midtown
In NYC street it has to be all since there is not even room for pedestrians to cross due to street blockers.
The city has accomodated this industry for too long. It is time to accept that the industry can not operate on NYC streets.
EVen the conservative ASPCA stated publicly that the industry can not be monitored effectively and that it can not humanely operated on NYC streets.
ASPCA should have spoken a lot time ago. Years and Years has passed and I seen many horses suffer during these years.
Midtown, idealism won't get us anywhere on this issue and most importantly will not do the horses any good. There is no will for "strict guidelines" and anyway no amount of regulation would change the inherently inhumane situation of forcing horses to work in 21st century NYC.
I hope this ban passes in memory of Smoothie who was killed near Central park on Sept 15, 2007.
When will this inhumanity and senselessness end
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31GgmMsFzOM
The more that I see this movie "blinders", the more I feel so sad but in truth I have seen more horrible things happen to NYC horses than what is depicted in the movie in YOUTUBE.
Mayor Bloomberg please prove to Speaker Quinn again your independence as you did when to stop her from banishing the Pedicab industry for her own interest.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31GgmMsFzOM
This movies show some of the cruelty involved with NYC horse drawn carriage. Sadly I seen worst with my own eyes.
Please Mayor Bloomberg, support the ban, listen to the voice of the people. Don't follow suit with Speaker Quinn who follows her own interest.
PETA are a bunch of tweets, but how could a ride in NYC horse carriage be considered "tourist attraction" or "romantic'? Those animals are literally on their last leg, scrawny, malnourished & unimaginably dirty. I work on 57th & 11th & with good wind can smell those poor animals at the outskirts of CP. Sitting in those seedy carriages must require a breathing apparatus/gas mask. Meanwhile, police rides are clean & odorless, as horses ought to be. Real tourist attraction.
And who is responsible for making these carriage rides look romantic for the tourists? The movie industry.
I am Frau Blucher...
Get off your fat asses and walk. Hold hands and walk in the fucking park like any other normal couple!
It's a big issue because its unnecessary and cruel. Unnecessary because one can walk or take a pedicab around Central Park; carriage horse rides are outdated. It's cruel because horses lives a nose to tailpipe existence, they never get to socialize with other horses, have no turnout and are damaged by constant trodding on hard concrete. What kind of person doesn't want to see a blatant cruelty ended when we have the power to do so? I don't understand it.
It's time for NYC to drop this ancient practice and get with the 21st century. check out Blinders on youtube and see for yourself.
Reflect
Yes, walking is kinder and healthier. I see them sitting in the carriage and all they do is take pictures.
When I travel, as a tourist I walk and stop to enjoy the moment.
I don't see the enjoyment or "romanticism" in riding a carriage in NYC congested traffic. And the inhumanity of those horses dragging the carriages in between the tour buses and city buses and even fire trucks.
So inhumane and a danger to public safety. I am ashmaned of my own city.
Reflect
Yes, walking is kinder and healthier. I see them sitting in the carriage and all they do is take pictures.
When I travel, as a tourist I walk and stop to enjoy the moment.
I don't see the enjoyment or "romanticism" in riding a carriage in NYC congested traffic. And the inhumanity of those horses dragging the carriages in between the tour buses and city buses and even fire trucks.
So inhumane and a danger to public safety. I am ashmaned of my own city.
This IS rediculous bull-crap and you know if they ever (never) freed the horses Peta would kill them like they would your pet yorkie.
GANDHI: "The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated."
The only relevant question is "IS IT ETHICAL?"
WATCH: http://youtube.com/watch?v=31GgmMsFzOM
-- and you will see the truth behind this "tradition". Look at the horse lying bloodied in the street and ask yourself, "is it ethical?"
http://www.petakillsanimals.com/ I can see the cruelty in it but I have no respect for peta, stars should really know more about an organization before commiting to them, I could see having stricter laws for the horses and possibly restricting auto/ equine contact in and around the park.
Dave,
Your animosity with PETA has nothing to do with this issue. in 1989, when the council try to pass a law to restrict them to the park, the carriages drivers challenge the law in court. They always put a stop when New Yorker try to help the city and the horses. the industry has a lot of connections with unions and now Quinn is selling out the horses and city. Central. Park can not accommodate all these horses. Also stricter rules are meaningless. the drivers don't even follow the minimal existing rules. the city comptroller report stated the lack of oversight of this industry and how it self regulated. But these drivers are motivated by greed and they will never said no to a fare.
it is the 21st century in NYC, it is outrageous to have these horses in traffic. it is a public safety issues.
NEW YORKERS- DO NOT VOTE FOR CHRISTINE QUINN FOR MAYOR
Holly Cheever is a bold-faced liar. Not one carriage horse in New York City has ever been slaughtered ... ever. Holly Cheever is a mean-spirited woman who has failed miserably in the field of equine health and has to resort to lies and false accusations to justify some sick need of hers to get her name in the paper. Stop the madness Holly. The truth is out around Central Park every day for anyone to see the perfect health and well-being of these beautiful horses. Maybe Pink and Holly Cheever should make an album together and entitle it "Shut Up...Just Shut Up!"
As for the "YouTube" video posted by someone with the audacity to compare themselves to Ghandi (absurd to say the least!)..this video was produced by an amateur animal activists who works for a major pharamaceutical company that tests their medicines and chemicals on animals! Animal rights activists: Stop pushing your mean-spirited, clueless and selfish agenda on the rest of us. We'll decide if we want to take a horse and carriage ride...not you!
Whoever you are Dido (and it's easy enough to find out) your attacks against Dr. Holly Cheever, one of America's foremost equine veterinarians, and Donny Moss are false and libelous. I would advise them to take legal action against you.
Holly Cheever is exactly right. The carriage horse business is all about getting every last dime out of these animals. The horses are bought at killer sales and put on the street for as long as they can handle the miserable conditions of New York City, and then are sent back to auction when there's no more money to be made from them.
The carriage horses are considered commodities, not sentient beings that deserve to be treated with care and respect. What kind of society are we that we allow prey animals to pull 19th century vehicles in the middle of a major world city and call it entertainment?
Dido, if anyone is a liar, it is you- to have
the unmitigated GULL to say that none of the carriage horses has ever been slaughtered!
Secondly, those people trying to help free the horses from bondage where they can never have pasture on a daily basis are not selfish, all of us have plenty of other things to do, but none of us would be able to sleep at night if we didn't try to help these poor horses, unlike you! And last, I've been to Central Park plenty of times to see the truth, and the truth is that the troughs are empty or filled with garbage, the drivers force the horses to stand in water, and too many people get in those carriages, many of which are pulled by horses other than draft horses, former harness race horses that are not meant to pull that much weight! The truth is most of you are all either in denial or undeniably cruel!
Dido
Stop spreading those lies. It is you who are selfish. You exploit the horses in NYC traffic.
The horses are disposable. It is cheaper to replace them with other old unwanted horses. Vet bills, suitable housing, cleaning and proper maintenance of these horses are costier. You just sell the worn out horse back to the auction for another horse to wear down.
These shoes redistributed the stress into the horses' other joints. The shoes decreases 30% shock absorbtion. The "lame horse" written by top DVMs support shoes do not protect the horses' feet. Bare footed horses have healthier feet than domestic horses due to the natural setting. NYC Streets are unnatural and cruel for the horses.
Not only are the NYC streets not safe for horses but no one checks on them. ASPCA does it voluntary and looks for obvious sign of cruelty. They are not vets. they don't check the well being of the horse or for signs that vet recognizes as lameness
The warehoused horses stand in the same place for hours and are more prone to colic, leg problems and respiratory disease. These horses are not saved but exploited by the industry. Do not the industry lies. They are extremists that believe horses belong in NYC traffic.
STOP THE CRUELTY. SUPPORT THE BAN!!!
I'm sure that what Philipe meant to say is that horses allowed pasture (meaning dry grass and dirt) do better in some cases when no inclement weather without shoes, because the dirt "gives" under the horses weight. But of course, on harsh city cement the shoes are vital! Unfortunately, heat from underground cables in the summer are contained in those iron shoes and feel like a furnace to the poor horses!
I want to thank Pink for agreeing to fight the good fight against the horse-drawn carriage in New York City. I have been involved in this issue since the 1980s. The improvement in the conditions for the horses over 25 years has been next to nil. The horses suffer greatly. This cruel practice must be banned.
Ok, though I am sure that PETA means well for NYC carriage horses, they have to realize the consequences of shutting down such a large industry and the effect that it will have on the said horses. If the NYC carriage industry is shut down, the horses will obviously be sold. But to where? I can guarantee that there is a 99% chance that most of those horses will end up at some slaughter house in Mexico or Canada. The owners of the companies aren't going to care about where their horses end up when they are shut down, and with the economy the way it is, not many rescues can support the feed, farrier, and vet bills of a few extra horses, especially drafts. So where does PETA really think they are going with this? Where do they want to see these horses end up? Stay in the city with a job and a fairly decent life? Or to ultimately end up jobless and find themselves spending their last days on a cramped truck to slaughter, and their last moments spent in panic when they are surrounded by the sights, sounds, and smells of a painful, cruel death? It is something to think about...
Emilia,
Please re-read the post by renowned equine vet Holly Cheever: The often broken-down horses are pulled from feedlots (eg, headed to slaughter) and sent back when the last few bucks are squeezed from them. Most likely this happens in January, when fares are down and costs must be dealt with. Someone should do a FOIL request and find out more about these trends. NYC carriage horses have a work life of about 4 years. Pathetic.
"As an equine veterinarian who first started inspecting these horses in the late '80's, I wholeheartedly support Pink's campaign to educate the public to boycott this tourist attraction. For the naive individual who stated that the horses would be "glue" if it were not for the carriage horse operators, the horses were purchased from "killer" sales in order for the owners to get a few more dollars out of them in their remaining months/years, and then they will be right back to the killer sales for the last few sheckels that can be wrung out of their bones and hides. Were you really so ignorant as to think that the horses would be humanely euthanised and buried respectfully on some farm when there is a last bit of profit to be made???
Also, the police horses are entirely different--their use and care and stabling are all infinitely more humane.
As for your criticism of the artist, frankly the rest of the country wonders why the h*** you New Yorkers seem to require celebrities to get you to focus on anything, rather than listening to experts. At least Pink is 100% accurate in her estimation of this industry and its abuse of its equine victims." [Holly Cheever, DVM]