News & Announcements
Elizabeth Forel - January 30, 2009
My
name is Elizabeth Forel and I am president of the Coalition to Ban
Horse-Drawn Carriages. In December 2005, there was no activity on
the issue of the appropriateness of horse-drawn carriages in New
York City. Then Spotty, the carriage horse, died a tragic death
in January 2006 and the Coalition was born. It was a
no-brainer. Since that time, this issue has become a topic of
conversation again. There is interest and compassion all over the
city, country and world for these horses. Our coalition has
amassed over 35,000 signatures on our petitions, which include people
from all 50 states, 55 countries and of course New Yorkers. It is
an issue whose time has come.
There are many
reasons why 19th century horse drawn carriages do not belong on the
crowded streets of NYC. I wonder why we are not a better,
more compassionate people than to continue to allow these horses to be
exploited for profit. Working between the confining shafts of
their carriage for nine hours straight only to return to the
confinement of a small stall with no opportunity for pasture time is
inhumane.
“Compassionate Campaigners – how
animal voters are shaping the 2008 presidential election” – is an
opinion piece by Lewis Bollard published in the Harvard Crimson last
year.
Bollard hits the nail on the head when he
talks about the new electorate who care about animals, and how they see
a politician’s attitude to animals as a broader reflection of his
compassion and character. Bollard calls them news-savvy, socially
integrated, and politically active. They are the people who sent
over 300,000 e-mails to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell successfully
urging him to drop convicted dog fighter Michael Vick from the league.
They’re politically active, and willing to use their votes to protect
the defenseless. So it comes as no surprise that there is
such wide spread interest in the puppy for the Obama family – and not
just any puppy - but it must be one from a shelter.
Times are changing and the paradigm is shifting. It is particularly sad that the City Council has not kept up with this trend and seems unable to do a decent job for animals.
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