The Humane Society of the United States today called the news of another New York City carriage horse death a prime example of why the city should adopt Councilman Tony Avella's legislation to entirely ban carriage horses from New York City.
Last week an eight-year-old Percheron carriage horse was found dead in his stable. In an unprecedented move, the Department of Health has refused to provide its records to ASPCA investigators who are charged with helping to enforce city carriage horse welfare laws, informing them that they needed to file a Freedom of Information Act to obtain the horse's veterinary and other records.
"The city's lack of transparency on horse deaths is just one more reason that horses do not belong on the crowded, congested streets of modern cities," said Keith Dane, director of equine protection for The Humane Society of the United States. "As we have seen far too many times, mixing horses with busy city traffic is a recipe for disaster. The city council should take action to protect public safety and horse welfare."
The September death of a carriage horse coupled with a recent audit from City Comptroller William Thompson showing the city's carriage horses live and work in inhumane conditions has placed renewed scrutiny on this threat to public safety and animal welfare, and spurred Councilman Avella to introduce this legislation.
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The Humane Society of the United States is the nation's largest animal protection organization – backed by 10.5 million Americans, or one of every 30. For more than a half-century, The HSUS has been fighting for the protection of all animals through advocacy, education and hands-on programs. Celebrating animals and confronting cruelty – On the web at humanesociety.org.
