Sep25
Victory for Chicago's Horses!
Posted at 03:55 PM | Permalink
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Comments (10)
For months, we had received calls from tourists, residents, and whistleblowers about six horses in Chicago who were under the "care" of carriage-ride operator JC Cutters. These horses were reportedly forced to endure Chicago's freezing winter weather in a tent without adequate food or water. In February, we let you know that Chicago officials had investigated the horses' living conditions and their quickly diminishing weight and had impounded the horses.
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After receiving endless complaints about these cruel operators, working with tireless Chicago activists, and making repeated calls and sending numerous letters to city officials, we're glad to report that two former employees (a manager and horse owner) of JC Cutters were found guilty Wednesday on six misdemeanor counts related to animal neglect and one misdemeanor count for failing to meet the minimum standards for feeding and sheltering the animals in their care.
The story of these six horses has a happy ending, but unfortunately, there are still countless others in the carriage industry who are living in decrepit conditions in cities across the U.S. How about taking a cue from our friend Jon Stewart? While you might not have an Emmy-winning talk show, you can speak up for the tired and weary horses who are forced to pull carriages day in and day out. Let city officials know that horse-drawn carriage operations should be shut down in Chicago, New York City, and in your own hometown. With the widespread availability of humane transportation around the world, horse-drawn carriages are clearly a thing of the past.
Posted by Liz Graffeo
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Comments
I read about this story after matt wrote the link for it on another blog, what made me laugh is these two women who caused this distress to the horses came out of court blubbering saying the horses were like family!! how can they leave them like that if there like family? all i can say is how do they treat their actual family!! And on a completely different subject i also read just under this story about a dogfighting ring that was busted and they found a mother and 4 puppys one of which pup had an eye hanging out and wounds to its face after being used as a bait dog, another with his penis bitten off and another with a severly twisted leg, plus many others with scars and wounds and the lads who owned them said they were not fighting dogs!! wtf!! its so obvious they were fighting. when are people gonna stop this horrific 'sport' its sick and i hope they get jail for a v long time the sick fucks. same goes for these two women they should be punished and never allowed to own horses again, and who was it in previous posts who said horses get treat well in this buisness??..hmm
Posted by: emma | September 25, 2009 06:27 PM
On a related matter Cook County (Chicago area) Sheriff, Tom Dart, has been doing a great job combating dogfighting and other crimes against animals.
Posted by: Brien Comerford | September 25, 2009 08:40 PM
We are VERY happy about this news here in Chicago...one company down...3 more to go! If you are a horse lover and know that busy city streets are NO PLACE for horses, check out www.banhdc.org for more information on what YOU can do to help ban the horse drawn carriage industry in Chicago, NYC, and other cities around the world!
Posted by: matt | September 25, 2009 11:06 PM
Salem, Massachusetts turn in your carriage horses. It's despicable, disgusting and reprehensible...Salem, Mass. street are too over congested with cars and trucks for the horses to navigate safely. Witches are ok...but the horses need a better place to live and a better life!!
Posted by: lr norris | September 26, 2009 11:23 PM
And now for the sentencing:
For the crime of letting horses freeze and starve in a tent in the freezing weather of a Chicago February, you are sentenced to spend the month of February the way you forced the horses to spend it: You will work an 8 hour shift each day pulling a carriage full of tourists, after which you will sleep in a tent and be fed a 1200 calorie a day diet consisting exactly what you fed your prisoners. To insure your availability when February arrives, you will be kept in animal quarters in the local zoo and eat what the keepers see fit to feed you. (Gavel slam).
Posted by: Rev. Meg Schramm | September 27, 2009 01:09 PM
I have ridden in one of those carriages several years ago and the horse was well taken care of and healthy. Also this particular worker rested his horse every few hours and was giving it water after every ride. so they aren't all bad
Posted by: Tom | September 28, 2009 11:12 AM
No this will be the real scentencing...... 'we will give you a $50 fine tell you not to do this again then give you back the horses so you can completely ignore whats just happened and do it all over again anyway..case closed'. Thats what happens to all animal abusers, no wonder it never ends.
Posted by: emma | September 28, 2009 11:21 AM
Please help Rome's horses. Enjoy Rome without torturing horses and SIGN this petition!! We need 5000 signatures by November!!
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/3/ban-horse-drawn-carriages-in-rome
Posted by: sarah may | October 2, 2009 05:49 PM
These horses deserve so much better! My sister's horse resides in a beautiful stable with a forest preserve nearby, where she walkes him at his leisure. There is staff there that tend to the horses as well. He is spoiled rotten;) Thanks! to all the Chicago activists for their commitment to this important cause! Bless you all!
Posted by: teresa | October 5, 2009 02:40 PM
We should not forget that 4 remaining companies still operate. We need to be vigilant and proactive until the last one is shut down.
Lets organize and push for the demise of the remaining carriage businesses.
Posted by: Rita Hayworth | November 4, 2009 12:10 AM