The Problem: Horse-Drawn Carriages
reprinted with permissionThe harsh reality of the life of a carriage horse working in New York City is no laughing matter.
They routinely work at least 9 hours a day, pulling a vehicle that weighs hundreds of pounds, on hard pavement, while breathing exhaust from cars, buses and taxis. Unaccustomed to the urban environment, horses can be "spooked" easily and cause accidents that inflict great damage on vehicles, drivers and most often, the horses themselves. There were six accidents in the Summer and Fall months of 2011 alone.
At the end of the day the horses return to their tiny stalls in stableson the far West side of the city, or as Jon Stewart once called it, "The sad-eyed horse carriage district." The cramped space doesn't allow these enormous animals to lie down or to move about freely. Nor are they afforded any turn-out or pasture time that equine veterinarians agree is needed for horses to live healthy lives.
After they work the busy and unsafe streets of NYC, the carraige horses are sent to auctions in Pennsylvania where they can be - and are - sold to kill-buyers who transport the animals to Mexico or Canada to be inhumanely slaughtered for exported meat.
New York City has the highest horse-drawn carriage accident rate in the country
November 3, 2010
A New York City bus hit a horse during rush hour. The carriage horse was grazed by the bus on 7th Avenue, at around 54th street. A witness says the horse "was spooked and evidently frightened out of his/her wits.
A New York City bus hit a horse during rush hour. The carriage horse was grazed by the bus on 7th Avenue, at around 54th street. A witness says the horse "was spooked and evidently frightened out of his/her wits.
September 19, 2009:
A cab plowed into a horse-drawn carriage near Central Park. Both drivers were taken to the hospital.
A cab plowed into a horse-drawn carriage near Central Park. Both drivers were taken to the hospital.
September 14, 2007:
A horse that was spooked by a street performer's drum ran nearly a block along the sidewalk before slamming into a tree, collapsing and dying. The horse's panicking caused a second horse - which was still attached to a carriage- to dart into traffic and collide with a car.
A horse that was spooked by a street performer's drum ran nearly a block along the sidewalk before slamming into a tree, collapsing and dying. The horse's panicking caused a second horse - which was still attached to a carriage- to dart into traffic and collide with a car.
June 2, 2007:
A spooked horse which was pulling a carriage was hit by an SUV at an intersection after the horse galloped away from his driver. When the horse fell, the carriage broke loose, was propelled into the air, and landed on the curb, barely missing pedestrians.
A spooked horse which was pulling a carriage was hit by an SUV at an intersection after the horse galloped away from his driver. When the horse fell, the carriage broke loose, was propelled into the air, and landed on the curb, barely missing pedestrians.
April 28, 2006:
A young horse being trained to pull carriages became spooked and bolted, colliding with, and critically injuring an elderly bicyclist in Central Park.
A young horse being trained to pull carriages became spooked and bolted, colliding with, and critically injuring an elderly bicyclist in Central Park.
January 3, 2006:
A horse got spooked and galloped into a station wagon on Ninth Avenue and 50th Street on his way back to the stable. The carriage driver was hospitalized in critical condition with a fractured skull. The horse was pinned under a car for half an hour and later died.
A horse got spooked and galloped into a station wagon on Ninth Avenue and 50th Street on his way back to the stable. The carriage driver was hospitalized in critical condition with a fractured skull. The horse was pinned under a car for half an hour and later died.
Public Safety Concerns
Horse carriages are dangerous to passengers, carriage drivers and others who use New York streets. Horses spooked by loud noises on busy streets have bolted into traffic, sending coachmen and other drivers to the hospital, and leading to the horse’s death.
In addition to the immediate safety risks caused by horse carriages, jagged ruts made by carriage wheels are dangerous for cyclists, runners and pedi-cabs using the areas in and around Central Park. The horses are also exposed to conditions that present a danger to their wellbeing, causing dehydration, permanent injury and even death.
Traffic Congestion
Slow moving carriages hold up traffic on already over-crowded streets, causing back-ups and blocking busy streets. Accidents, big or small, caused by the horse carriages can delay drivers for hours. This traffic congestion is not only frustrating for drivers; the idling cars also increase the amount of car exhaust in the air, polluting the air we breathe and accelerating global warming.
Poor Sanitation
The areas where the carriages line up to wait for customers have an unpleasant odor that disturbs nearby residents and visitors. Carriage drivers often do not clean up after the horses, leaving waste and rotting debris in New York’s streets. Even, worse, city health officials must regularly monitor the horses for diseases that could be transmitted to other animals and even to the human population.
Lack of Economic Benefits for New York City
The horse carriage industry is a cash only business which does not use meters. Carriage drivers routinely charge residents and tourists rates above what they are legally entitled to charge. The lack of any financial accountability controls creates a vacuum of potential revenue for the City. At the same time, the City annually spends hundreds of thousands of dollars to monitor the horses, and repair roadways damaged by the carriages. The status quo presents a losing situation for New York City.
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