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Video: Carriage Horse Spotted Drinking Dirty Water
By
Jen Carlson
Published Feb 24, 2011
Modified Feb 24, 2011
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By
Jen Carlson
Published Feb 24, 2011
Modified Feb 24, 2011
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[UPDATED BELOW] Recently a video was uploaded to YouTube showing a carriage horse drinking on a NYC street from a puddle of "the disgusting, contaminated, filthy water that he has no choice but to stand in. The water trough that is supposed to provide him with fresh drinking water is dry and filled with garbage." Back in the day, the ASPCA brought showers and drinking fountains to the thousands of working horses in the city... so where are they now? We contacted the organization for a comment; below, Patrick Kwan of the Humane Society of U.S. gave us his thoughts on the matter.
"It’s another sad reminder of the daily and constant inhumane conditions that carriage horses live and work in. The inexcusable and continued failure of the carriage industry to provide adequate water for the horses have long been documented, including in the independent audits conducted by the City Comptroller’s Office in 2007 and 2009, which also found the horses lacked protection from the elements and are forced to stand in their own waste because of inadequate drainage in stables.
But meeting these most basic of needs is just the beginning - horses deserve better treatment than to be forced to work in dangerous traffic conditions every day, and often in harsh weather, where their lives and welfare are threatened and the safety of pedestrians and drivers are put at risk. The Humane Society of the United States urges the City Council to support Int. 86A to create a more humane industry by phasing out the horse carriages and replacing them with eco-friendly antique show cars while creating better paying jobs and work conditions for New Yorkers."
UPDATE: Dr. Pamela Corey, the ASPCA’s Director of Equine Veterinary Services, sent us the below comment:
"We cannot comment on this video. However, there is a water trough at 6th Avenue and 59th Street, which has water running all winter. The ASPCA routinely witnesses drivers watering their horses at this particular location and reminds drivers at all locations of their obligations to their horses. We also check to be sure that drivers carry clean water and grain with them while working.
Given the constraints and challenges that New York City presents, and as the primary enforcer of New York City's carriage horse laws, the ASPCA believes that carriage horses were never meant to live and work in today's urban setting.
For these reasons, the ASPCA supports New Yorkers for Clean, Livable & Safe Streets (NYCLASS), an organization dedicated to improving New York City's quality of life through education and advocacy. NYCLASS advocates viable alternatives to carriage horses that will not only relieve the City government of its financial burden, but will also avoid the safety and quality of life issues caused by the carriage horse industry.
The ASPCA also supports Intro. 86A, Councilmember Melissa Mark-Viverito's legislation to phase out carriage horses in New York City, replacing horse drawn carriages with alternative, fuel-powered classic cars. These cars can provide rides for tourists, offer jobs to workers currently in the carriage horse industry and maintain the historic feel of the tours."
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Jen Carlson
Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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