Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages

as of April 21, 2013

"What You Can Do" to help enact a ban on horse-drawn carriages in New York City is  divided into actions:  

First - please sign our petition.  Then please like our page on Facebook - No Walk in the Park -  and follow us on Twitter - and sign up for our newsletter.    And don't forget to read our articles and blog, see photos on Flickr  and check us out on YouTube

Next - take action on the actual proposed legislation in the NYS legislature. This section is divided into New York City and State Residents -- and Out-of-Towners.  

Residents: 

To  find your representative - go to the Senate page or Assembly page and enter your address.

1.  The best way to lobby your representative is to meet in person.  Call their office for a meeting.  It will probably be with their legislative person.  Get others in your neighborhood to go with you.  

2.  The next best thing is to send a snail mail letter.  Do not underestimate the importance of this means of communication.  Ask your Senator and Assemblymember to support a ban on horse-drawn carriages by signing on to either S667 or A997.  Letters should be simple and to the point.  You can say something as short as this:  

Please support a ban on horse-drawn carriages in New York City by signing on to S667 (or A997.)    This business is inhumane to the horses and dangerous and unsafe to people.  Horses weighing between 1,500 to 2,000 pounds become unwitting weapons when spooked while negotiating the congested traffic of New York City.  Help to bring NYC into the 21st century.   For more information, please visit www.banhdc.org.  

3.  Make sure you contact not only your representative - but also the Senators and Assemblymembers on the Cities Committee where the bill is.  

4.  Make calls (see below) -   the list is divided into Senate and Assembly.   This is also immediate and very effective. You do not have to do it all at one time but please make as many calls as you can.    This is crucial.  These representatives must hear from us.  

SUGGESTED SCRIPT:  My name is ______ and I live in ______ (borough or other city if not New York.) I am calling in support of S667 (or A997 if you are calling an Assemblymember.) I would like to know if Senator ______ (or Assemblymember _______ ) will sponsor this bill, which would prohibit the operation of horse-drawn carriages in New York City. Please get back to me on this issue. I will call back in a few days if I do not hear from you. 

Make your representatives ACCOUNTABLE.  You should leave your e-mail, telephone number and/or address.    If they ask for any information and they generally do not - and if you are not able to provide it - tell them you will get back to them and then contact us - coalition@banhdc.org. 

Out-of-Towners:

If you live outside of New York City or state, your contribution is invaluable since you are seen as potential tourists.     This issue has resonated around the world and the carriage trade is frequented by tourists.   Please follow the suggestions above for calling or sending snail mail letters.  

Contact telephone numbers and e-mails

    CITIES COMMITTEE - SENATE:
    Andrew Lanza - chairman (NYC) - (518) 455-3215
    Greg Ball (845) 279-3773
    Neil D. Breslin (518) 455-2225
    John A. DeFrancisco - (Syracuse) (315) 428-7632
    Mark Grisanti - (Buffalo) (716) 854-8705

    CITIES COMMITTEE - ASSEMBLY
    Felix Ortiz - chairman - (NYC) (718) 492-6334
    Joseph Borelli (NYC) (718) 967-5194
    Edward Braunstein (NYC) (718) 357-3588
    John Ceretto (Niagara Falls) (716) 282-6062
    Jane Corwin (Clarence) (716) 839-4691
    Marcos Crespo (NYC) (718) 893-0202
    Rafael L. Espinal, Jr. (NYC) (718) 235-5627
    Michael Kearns (Buffalo) (716) 826-0152
    Micah Kellner - (NYC) (212) 860-4906
    Shelley Mayer (Yonkers) (914) 779-8805
    John McDonald III (518) 455-4474
    Walter Mosley (NYC) (718) 596-0100
    Bill Nojay (585) 334-5210
    James Tedisco (Schenectady) (518) 370-2812
    David Weprin (NYC) (718) 454-3027

E-mail addresses are deemed to be not as effective because they can be easily deleted. However, if you do not have the time to make phone calls and want to take the chance and write an e-mail - these are the groupings:

SENATE lanza@senate.state.ny.us; jdefranc@nysenate.gov; grisanti@nysenate.gov; gball@nysenate.gov; breslin@senate.state.ny.us

ASSEMBLY kellnerm@assembly.state.ny.us; MayerS@assembly.state.ny.us; HeastieC@assembly.state.ny.us; braunsteine@assembly.state.ny.us; cerettoj@assembly.state.ny.us; kearnsm@assembly.state.ny.us; weprind@assembly.state.ny.us; espinalr@assembly.state.ny.us; corwinj@assembly.state.ny.us; crespom@assembly.state.ny.us; tediscoj@assembly.state.ny.us

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July 2011 

Things change and we are very fortunate  that former Council Member Tony Avella was elected to the NYS Senate and is now Senator Avella.  Both he and Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal recently introduced a bill in both the Senate and Assembly to amend the NYC Administrative Code to ban horse-drawn carriages in NYC.  The bills are S.5013 and A.7748 respectively . 

Please read this article on Change.org and sign the  petition.  If you live in NYS, letters will be generated to your state Senator and Assemblymember.  If you live outside of New York State, letters will be generated to the Committee Chairs and to Senator Avella and Assemblymember Rosenthal.  Anyone can sign and we hope you do.  

Please help NYC's carriage horses.     
We cannot do it without you 

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April 10, 2010

We are asking that  -- regardless of where you live -- you write letters to your Council Members, Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Speaker Christine Quinn.  See links below.  

As of this date the following bills concerning the carriage horse issue are in the Consumer Affairs Committee of the City Council:

Intro 35A - the industry bill

Intro 86 - a bill to phase out the carriage industry and replace it with hybrid  classic cars

Intro 92 - a bill to ban the carriage horse industry and provides for the "humane disposition" of the horses

Click on the links above to read the text of each bill on the Council web site.  

The most important message to everyone who wants to see the end of this inherently inhumane industry and to assure the horses will be placed in responsible loving homes, is to see that Intro 35A, the industry bill,  is defeated by contacting their Council Members.  Keep the pressure on.  

The carriage industry has professional paid lobbyists.  We do not.  

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE:

Contact your Council Member to oppose Intro 35A and to   
support Intro 86/92. 

·    Find the contact information for your Council Member by going to the  council web site .   If you do not know who he or she is, you can enter your address to find out.  

·    Snail mail is the preferred means of communication and is best sent to the District, not Legislative, office.  The reason for this is that not all Council Members staff their legislative offices.

·    If you want to use e-mail, it is not recommended that you use the e-mail listed for that office.  Many bounce and it is not likely anyone will read it.  HOWEVER, it is recommended that you call the office and ask who the Legislative Aide is and get their direct e-mail address. 

·    Faxes are the next best suggestion sent to the District office.

·    E-mails are discouraged.  Some of those listed may bounce and it is less likely that your letter may be read.  However, if this is the only method of communication you have, take the chance that some of the communications will be read.

·    Consider writing to all the members of the City Council, not just your representative. 

·    For a sample letter click here.     You will see a sample letter and all the council e-mail addresses separated into four groups.  It is suggested that you send your e-mail in these four groups.  It might aid in delivery.  

·    Do not use the exact text in the letter.  To have maximum impact with legislators, you should rewrite the sample letter.

·    Call your council office after you send in your communication.  Ask to speak with the legislative person or the Chief of Staff.  Find out how your council member plans to vote.  Don’t allow them to put you off.  Call back until you speak with someone and are satisfied with their response.

·    Meet with your Council Member or their representative on this issue.  If you would like someone to go with you, please contact us at coalition@banhdc.org.  We will try to accommodate you. 

·    Contact your Council Member even if he/she has signed on to one of the bills.  They often change their minds. 

·    For those who live outside NYC, write to all the Council Members. 

·    Everyone should write to Speaker Christine Quinn.  She is available either through snail mail or through the web site.   Click here.  
Speaker Christine C. Quinn
250 Broadway
Suite 1856
New York, New York 10007

·    Everyone should write to Mayor Michael Bloomberg.  He is available either through snail mail or through the web site.  Click here.  
Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg
City Hall
New York, NY  10007    
Fax (212) 312-0700
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WRITE LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Neighborhood papers are more likely to publish letters that are not in response to a particular article.  It is best to e-mail the letter to the address indicated, to keep within the word limit and to provide your address and phone number for confirmation.  Keep letters to approximately 150 words although some of these papers allow more. 

Please click here to see letters that have been previously published

Downtown Express
news@downtownexpress.com

The Villager
news@thevillager.com

Gay City News
news@gaycitynews.com

Chelsea Now
news@chelseanow.com

Queens Ledger
news@queensledger.com

Riverdale Press
letters@riverdalepress.com

Bronx News
bronxnews@optonline.net

Brooklyn Paper
http://www.brooklynpaper.com/about/contact/letters/

Staten Island Advance
http://www.silive.com/mailforms/advanceletters/

Our Town
West Side Spirit
Chelsea Clinton News
Westsider
editorial@manhattanmedia.com