City Silent On Mysterious Death Of Carriage Horse

Around 8:30 a.m. yesterday, a carriage horse collapsed and died on West 54th Street between Eighth & Ninth Avenues, across from the Midtown North Precinct. Despite the horse being loaded into a NYPD vehicle, the department's District Command Public Information repeatedly denied having any information on the incident. A representative from Mayor Bloomberg's office had no comment, and referred us back to the NYPD. The ASPCA, who is conducting the investigation, tells us that the results of the necropsy on the horse should be available tomorrow morning.

"I think this is standard practice for them," said Elizabeth Forel of the Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages. "They just don't take these things seriously. I think it's very important to know what happened to this horse." Over the years the city has attempted to balance tourism revenue brought in by carriage rides through Central Park with the well-being of the horses.

Carriage horses have been seen operating illegally during a weather emergency, drinking from filthy puddles of water due to a lack of clean troughs, and endure periodic carriage crashes. Forel notes that the ASPCA typically performs the necropsy on horses that die on the job and said that the process isn't transparent enough.

"The ASPCA is essentially performing the work of a government agency," she said, pointing to a case last November in which a carriage horse was struck by a MTA bus and the ASPCA, who is not subject to FOIL, conducted an investigation. "To my knowledge they never released the results of that investigation," and said that the Department of Consumer Affairs is undergoing their own inquiry.

NYCLASS is calling for the Department of Health to get involved, and Forel is also asking that the horse's death be investigated. A spokesman for the Horse and Carriage Association of New York told the Daily News, "It's a tragedy. It's not something that happens regularly…Our horses are taken care of."

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Christopher Robbins in News on October 24, 2011 12:40 PM

Comments [rss]

OnyxE

Horse are supposed to spend their days in a pasture grazing, not trudging through the middle of NYC's noisy stressful traffic. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know the stress probably killed this horse and it's just a miracle more don't die of it. I can't fathom how any civilized city thinks it's OK for these animals to spend their lives like this. Please stop it!!!

felixthecat

This was only reported because horse died on the streets. Poor horse. What a fucking horrible city that permits this cruelty. Words can't express how sad and angry I am.

Eva Hughes

Folks, the mortality rate for all living things is 100%.

In other words - horses die, like everything and everyone else.

In any other horse pursuit or enterprise, the owner is offered condolences, not attacks and unfounded accusations. Of course the city is "silent" -- the results of the necropsy are not in, what would they have to say?

Our industry is high-profile with limited resources -- perfect for attack by humaniacs and real estate developers masquerading as animal advocates, like NYCLASS, who posted here.

Whether or not you choose to believe it, each and every carriage horse leads a solid blue collar life, with their every need and comfort attended to. Housing, food, vet care, shoeing, vacations -- do you realize that there are CHILDREN in this city who do live as well or as securely?

Thousands of unwanted and homeless horses go to slaughter every WEEK in this country. A horse with a good home and a viable job is SAFE, and lucky.

And we are lucky to have them.

Hysteria and koolaid drinking abound with regard to NYC carriage horses -- if anyone is interested in the TRUTH, or has any question whatever, please join us on our FB page, Carriage Horse Facts. http://www.facebook.com/carria...

Eva Hughes
VP NY Horse &* Carriage Assoc

UWS_CA

So if a bunch of people die in the middle of the street, we should just chalk it up to "the mortality rate for all living things is 100%"?

Eva Hughes

Don't go in much for critical thought, huh?

Erin Haney

JABBA---how are you tonight? YOU are the BIGGEST MORON here! You were probably feeding this poor horse your famous "stale bread and cabbage" diet---that's why He died! YOU know NOTHING about horse care or horses for that matter ---all you care about is the $! Do you care to tell these lovely people where you send these horses when you are done abusing them---------TO SLAUGHTER!!!! GOOD HOME---- MY ASS----if you call living in Hell's kitchen in a FILTHY stable, no vet care and no grass to graze on a good home---what is a bad home? Live securely--- YOU ARE NUTS---if they don't do what you want ---you BEAT them and send them to SLAUGHTER---on to the next one right JABBA! You have admitted --just above that you have limited resources so how are these horses so secure and well taken care of---you contradictory idiot! If the owner is so sad ---why haven't we heard from them or heard a statement from you----we all know how you love a story!!!! I would just like to add one more thing---horses are grazers JABBA------that means they need to eat all day---grass----not "stale bread and cabbage" if you are doing this----the words came out of your mouth---it's ABUSE--- since you are NOT meeting the basic requirements of food and water----which the horses are deprived of ALL day till they get back to the stables. Have a good one JABBA!

madelaine99

you make my head hurt. please stop.

TheRealCannibal

THERE ----is----- a!!!!!! person I THINK --you---- SHould meet !!!!! HIS name ---is----- Felix!!!!!!1111111111111

m015094

Are you drunk or high? Because you're posting like a psychopath.

StefanieJ

You might actually want to do your research. As sad as it is that this horse died, he does not look malnourished or underweight. His hooves look like they are shod and he is clean and looks to be kept well.He probably had a heart attack. They will know soon. They can die standing out in the pasture. Just saying. I don't live in NYC so I don't know what they require but in our city there are strict rules and codes that the companies have to go by. The horses and carriages are inspected by the city transportation manager.
Of course the carriage industry gets all the bad wrap because they go out into public with the horses. What do you think these horses would be doing if they were not pulling a carriage? They are built and made to pull. They would then still end up at slaughter. These vis a vis that are used in the parks and cities are not that heavy. I can pull and move them around myself. While I will agree there are carriage companies that do abuse and use their animals please don't put them ALL in that same category. Our carriage horses are used a few times a week for an average of 4-6 hours at a time. They get water get fed, live in a large pasture and are fully vetted and shod.
If you enjoy horse racing check and see the statistics on that industry. How many 2 yr olds are run till they can't run any more and sold at auction to the kill buyers. I could go on and on but really. By the way most end up being resold to other carriage companies that don't use them as heavily as they would when they were younger. Check out this website if you really want to concentrate on helping animals and horses. http://www.kaufmanzoning.net/

dd7

You must work for the carriage industry. Shame on you.

chee1rs

this never would have happened under David Dinkins...

but then again , how does my Trifecta bet look now ??

Investigate-NWO-globalists

When the city & multi-billionaire corporatist Bloomturd are silent about something, I automatically assume a cover-up of some sort.

Carlos Suarez

not so romantic for the horses. at least the horse wont go through another winter.

m015094

End pedi-cabs!! Oh wait. Nevermind.

NYCLASS

Now is the time to push the City Council to act on Intro 86. Please call the City Council members who haven't committed to ending horse abuse yet. There's an easy tool right here: http://www.ny-class.org/midtow...

Donny_Moss

These needless deaths could have been prevented if Christine Quinn had not abused her power by undemocratically killing the popular bills to take these horses out of harm's way: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...

Mr Mel

Are you Felix?

felixthecat

no, he isn't

bggb

Just put this barbaric, out of date tourist trap business out of its misery.

There won't be a single tourist ever who visits and says, "NYC just isn't the same since I couldn't be pulled by an unhappy animal through traffic for an hour."

Not one.