Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages

The Riverdale Press - April 22, 2010

Horse-drawn carriages should be banned    

To the editor:   

The City Council recently passed a bill that would give carriage drivers a raise, but does little to improve conditions for the horses.   

What is it about this trade that gets politicians jumping and singing their praises — telling anyone who listens that it is a viable, important industry — that people put it on their “to do” list when visiting the city. Sure they do — in the politicians’ dreams.   

They’re disregarding the more than 50,000 people who have signed our petition to ban the industry. The signers come from all 50 states and more than 55 countries. These are tourists who say that they cannot bear to walk on Central Park South seeing the dispirited, exploited horses.    

The industry employs only about 300 people and it is cash only. So the taxes reported to the city are questionable. It is mystifying.   

Pretending to be union members of the Teamsters is another joke, and should be an insult to anyone who is a real dues-paying member of any union. This is a union in name only. There are no benefits and no collective bargaining and only about 130 people belong to it, drivers and owners alike.    

The bill  was opposed by every animal protection organization in the city, including the ASPCA, which monitors the horses. Are we all wrong?    

The only solution to this situation is to phase the industry out, save the horses and replace them with vintage hybrid cars, which is addressed in a bill sponsored by Councilwoman Melissa Mark-Viverito. That would be a real win for the city.

ELIZABETH FOREL PRESIDENT OF THE COALITION TO BAN HORSE-DRAWN CARRIAGES

To honor
Bobby II Freedom
previously known as Billy
ID# 2873 rescued by the Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages and Equine Advocates on June 25, 2010 from the New Holland auctions.

In memory of
Lilly Rose O'Reilly
previously known
as Dada ID# 2711
R.I.P.August, 2007