MEDIA COVERAGE
Don’t Let Your Romance Become His Nightmare
Our Town -- November 23, 2010
It’s time to transition from the horse-drawn carriages in the park
By Brendan W. Furlong
Thirty
years ago, I took my then-girlfriend for a carriage ride around Central
Park in New York City. It seemed like a traditional and romantic thing
to do. Looking back, with the knowledge I now have about how these
horses are abused on a daily basis, I realize that the “romantic” cover
under which the horse carriage system operates shields a sobering
reality.
Horse-drawn carriages should be a
thing of the past. In New York City, horses now have to deal with heavy
automobile traffic, motorbikes, cyclists, roller-bladers,
skateboarders, hordes of pedestrians and endless noise and confusion.
The roads are hard and slippery. There are traffic lights, flashing
lights and sirens. Simply put, this bombardment of his sensory system
causes the horse extreme stress. Add to that the physical toil of
pulling a heavy carriage around for up to nine hours a day, often
without adequate rest, shade or shelter, and you must understand why
this is asking too much of these beautiful animals.
When
they’ve completed a day of hard labor, the horses are then returned to
former tenement buildings converted into cramped stable space. Without
the ability to move freely in such a confined area—an arrangement that
causes significant physical strain—the end of the workday is hardly a
respite from the pains accumulated during the day.
In
fact, the life expectancy of a horse is reduced by half once it reaches
Manhattan to be used for this work. Then, once their usefulness is
drained by the carriage owner, the horses are very often auctioned off
to “kill-buyers,” who then transport them to slaughterhouses where they
are killed for meat.
These harsh realities have
been hidden in recent months by the passage of legislation in New York
City, Intro 35, that provides these horses with five weeks of vacation.
This has given advocates of the horse-carriage system ammunition to
claim that the horses are in fact being taken care of, when in truth,
this measure—while a step in the right direction—distracts from the
fundamental issues of inhumane treatment that have still not been
addressed.
New York has always been a beacon to
the rest of the nation and the world. Now the city has a wonderful
opportunity to show the progressive face it is known for by phasing out
the horse carriage system in favor of a viable alternative of
hybrid-engine, antique-style cars. It’s a decision that would impact
not only the horses that would be spared unnecessary suffering, but
also send a message to the millions of New Yorkers and visitors to New
York that inhumane treatment of horses cannot be tolerated for
tradition’s sake.
Fortunately, you can make a
difference and help turn this goal into a reality. One way to do so is
to send a letter to the New York City Council in support of Intro 86,
which would support the transition from the horse-drawn carriages and
towards the alternative of “green” antique-style cars.
Just
as importantly, the next time you’re planning your next romantic night
out in Manhattan, consider your full range of options—including the
theater, world-class restaurants and countless nightlife possibilities.
There are plenty of ways to enjoy a night on the town, without adding
to the burden of an already-suffering creature. Let’s make sure
together, that your romance doesn’t become his nightmare.
_
Brendan Furlong is the owner of B.W. Furlong and Associates, and has been the U.S. veterinarian for all Olympic Eventing teams since 1996.
Coalition To Ban
Horse-Drawn Carriages
A Committee of the Coalition For New York City Animals, Inc.
Contact:
The Coalition for
NYC Animals, Inc.
P.O. Box 20247
Park West Station
New York, NY 10025
e-mail
Coalition@banhdc.org