President Obama declared a state of emergency for New York State about 5 p.m. on Friday in anticipation of Hurricane Irene, a Category 2 storm, making landfall on the East Coast. Philip E. Parr, a former member of the New York City Fire Department and former federal coordinator for relief efforts after Hurricane Katrina, was named the coordinating officer.
The President of the US - not even the mayor or governor - but the President!
Yet as of 1:36 PM on Saturday- the ASPCA has still not suspended the carriage horses from working. Do they know more than all the weather forecasters?
We know that they have always enabled the industry - but this is just absurd!
from the Administrative Code
§ 17-330 Regulations.
f. Owners shall not allow a horse to be worked on a public highway, path or street during adverse weather or other dangerous conditions which are a threat to the health or safety of the horse. A horse being worked when such conditions develop shall be immediately returned to the stable by the most direct route.
NYC Charter - Title 24 Chapter 04 -- § 4-05. Working Conditions.
(b) Environment. (1) Owners shall not allow a horse to be worked on a public highway, path or street during adverse weather or other conditions which are a threat to the health or safety of the horse and the public. Adverse weather conditions shall include but not be restricted to snow, ice, heavy rain or other
slippery conditions. A horse being worked when such conditions develop shall be returned to the stable by the most direct route as soon as practicable.
(b) Environment. (1) Owners shall not allow a horse to be worked on a public highway, path or street during adverse weather or other conditions which are a threat to the health or safety of the horse and the public. Adverse weather conditions shall include but not be restricted to snow, ice, heavy rain or other
slippery conditions. A horse being worked when such conditions develop shall be returned to the stable by the most direct route as soon as practicable.
See this video by film maker Donny Moss - ASPCA Fails the Carriage Horse.
Please look carefully at this video and know that it is the truth.
If the ASPCA is afraid to suspend the business for safety and humane reasons, afraid that they might be sued, then they are not doing their job. The City of NY should enter a contract with an outside entity and dump the ASPCA.
ASPCA telephone is 212-876-7700 x 4450 for Humane Law.
Elizabeth Forel
Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages
www.banhdc.org
Horses Without Carriages International
www.horseswithoutcarriages.org