Do New Yorkers Abuse Their Carriage Horses?
(The above picture is an actual working horse in NYC, in no way do I imply that this particular driver is abusive to his animal. It is however a fantastic shot).
Horse Abuse Gone Unnoticed in New York
On Wednesday the City Comptroller in New York audited the City agencies responsible for vet checks and carriage inspections on the carriages that run through The City.
The findings are really rather grim if you consider these horses are used for pleasure strolls through a park. For them to suffer any horse abuse at all is criminal.
The Facts
There are 221 licensed horses and 68 carriages working in New York City. In the grand scheme of things these numbers are minimal, and could easily have been inspected and vet checked in a week.
The Audit
Last year a 17 year old carriage horse dropped dead in Central Park in front of a crowd of people. How horrifying is that? To be on vacation on a carriage ride in Central Park and suddenly the horse that is pulling you drops dead.
The audit targeted spots zoned and designated for carriages to wait for fares. It was determined that the horses were standing there without adequate shade, without accessible water spigots for proper hydration, and withouth proper drainage for their waste.
And it took them until now to audit the agencies responsible for preventing this very thing from happening.
What Now?
Animal rights activists have always protested the treatment of these animals forced to work on concrete in a busy city. The fact that the City agencies have dropped the ball to such a degree is truly sad.
As a result, the health department is developing an advisory board (in the fall) and intends to increase inspections.
Problem solved? Call me a cynic, but what a waste of time. If they focused their efforts on planting a tree or two; providing adequate spigots for water; cutting open a wider strip for drainage; and enforcing bi-yearly vet checks the problem would be solved and no tax dollars would be wasted.
Right?
The Agencies Responsible Are:
The City Department of Consumer Affairs is responsible for inspecting carriages and licensing drivers.
Department of Health and Mental Hygiene regulates horse vet checks and stable conditions.
The Real Deal
This is not an article accusing these drivers of being terrible to their animals. The fault is solely with the City agencies, the ones in place to ensure that the drivers have adequate facilities to take care of them properly.
