Having been put out to pasture by the producers of Jon & Kate Plus 8, Jon Gosselin was recently spotted taking his new lady friend out for a ride in a horse-drawn carriage.

igossip / CC

Doggie abandonment (and his lady friend's questionable vest) aside, we're still willing to give Jon the benefit of a doubt, so we've sent him a letter educating him on the not-quite-fairy-tale horse-drawn carriage trade and asking him to make cruelty-free choices for his future dates.

Too bad he no longer has any use for these excellent date ideas …

Posted by Amanda Schinke

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.

chicagobreakingnews / CC

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

On last night's The Daily Show (basically the only show I watch, other than Glee) Jon Stewart slipped in a quip about Manhattan's West Side—he called it the "sad-eyed carriage horse district."

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
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"You'll come for the sad eyes, you'll stay for the feeling that the horse is … really, really not enjoying it."

Couple that with a recent episode in which Jon stood up to Liam Neeson's claim that the horse stables on the West Side are miniature luxury palaces, saying, "I don't think living on 52nd and 11th is a holiday for a horse," and I'd say that Jon is a regular hero for horses.

I think we should all join Jon in speaking up for horses who are abused in the carriage industry.

Posted by Amanda Schinke

I'm predicting that Fox's new musical comedy, Glee, will be this fall's breakout hit (sorry, Ashlee).

Certainly the show's beautiful and brainy star Lea Michele, who has drawn rave reviews for her various Broadway performances, has hit a high note with us.

Lea joined Chrissie Hynde, Pink, Pamela Anderson, Alec Baldwin, Rue McClanahan, and other notables who "don't stop believin'" that the cruel and dangerous buggy biz needs to be done away with.

I'll be parked on my La-Z-Boy on Wednesday nights to catch Glee. Do you plan to tune in?

Posted by Karin Bennett

When it came time to plan their NYC wedding, Kelly Respess and Paul Kercheval knew that there was one thing that wasn't going to be a part of their special day—a horse-drawn carriage ride. In fact, they decided to take the opportunity to educate other lovebirds about how unromantic it is to be hauled around Central Park by a tired, abused horse.

Together, for better and for horses

No horses (or chickens or cows) were harmed in the making of the wedding cake.

Everything from the cake to the decoration said "neigh" to horse abuse, and leaflets describing horse-drawn carriage horrors were distributed to wedding guests as well as to tourists and reporters.

When the ceremony was over, the happy couple rode off in a classic, classy convertible.

Kelly and Paul celebrate life and love …

Posted by Karin Bennett

When you work for PETA, it's hard to ever really go on vacation. That's because everywhere you go, you are bound to encounter people doing not-so-nice things to animals. Take my recent trip to Egypt. Skinny stray cats and dogs were hanging around outside all the hotels and restaurants, camels were living in squalor outside the pyramids for the sake of a photo opportunity, and the streets at all the big tourist spots were thick with horse-drawn carriages. I took these photos in Luxor, home to the famous Karnak temple and the Valley of the Kings and therefore overrun with sightseers. The carriages were lined up for a whole city block, waiting to draw in gullible tourists:

Many of the horses are hobbled when they aren't working. This one was hobbled so tightly that he couldn't move even an inch in any direction:

Notice the sores on the horse's knees. I saw many horses with such sores. I saw no indication that working horses were ever provided water or shade. The cracks of the drivers' whips could be heard blocks away.

These people are in business strictly to cater to tourists, who ignorantly think horse-drawn carriage rides are "romantic." Somehow, I miss the "romance" in staring at the rump of a tired and dejected horse.

Fortunately, the good folks of Rome (the birthplace of romance) agree. Rome's city council recently restricted the use of horse-drawn carriages to city parks, allowing them on city streets only on weekends. During the week, carriage operators will instead ferry tourists around in vintage-looking electric cars, (similar to the cars that New York City is currently thinking of employing). The move came in response to the death of Birillo, a horse who broke his leg after being hit by a truck and who lay on the street in agony for four hours before being euthanized.

In honor of Birillo and all his toiling brethren, give a carriage driver a piece of your mind and give the horse an apple (carry some with you for the purpose) instead of spending your hard-earned coin the next time you're on vacation.

Posted by Joel Bartlett

gothamist / CC

The good folks at the Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages (CBHDC) teamed up with PETA members to hold a protest outside New York City's Central Park on Valentine's Day. They witnessed several disturbing incidents that illustrate a culture of inaction by ASPCA officers charged with monitoring the carriage industry and enforcing regulations. Read and weep:

CBHDC President Elizabeth Forel reports that one of the roads coming out of the park had a large pothole and that the drivers repeatedly drove their carriages over it. Elizabeth believes that ASPCA officers were within their power to bar the carriages from using the road, but, after numerous complaints, the only action that was taken was to put an orange traffic cone in the pothole.

Carriage drivers were so busy hurling abuse at the protesters and trying to videotape them that they came perilously close to becoming involved in serious accidents. According to witnesses, one driver drove his horse right into the traffic cone, which nearly caused the frightened animal to bolt. Shockingly, when protesters brought this incident to the attention of an ASPCA officer, he blamed the horse and refused to cite the driver.

Another driver was talking on his cell phone and almost ran into the cone. At the last minute, one of the ASPCA officers touched the horse's face in an attempt to divert him from the pothole (the horses wear blinders and can only see what's directly in front of them). This startled the horse, who veered sharply into the path of a car, which some witnesses believe may have struck the animal.

A veterinarian who attended the protest reported seeing areas on horses' skin rubbed raw by their harnesses. One lame horse mysteriously "disappeared" after protesters brought the matter to officers' attention.

Drivers repeatedly—one might even say routinely—ran red lights, but, again, the ASPCA officers did nothing. In fact, Elizabeth reports that the officers seemed more concerned with whether or not she had a permit for her protest (she didn't need one and they knew it) than they were with doing their jobs.

"The drivers do not take the ASPCA officers seriously," says Elizabeth. "If they did, they would show more respect for the law and would do as told. … They act with impunity—like they know they will not get a ticket no matter what."

Please click here to read more about the cruelty of the horse-drawn carriage industry and what you can do to help.

Posted by Alisa Mullins

yahoo / CC

I had occasion to ride my bike into downtown Houston one evening last week. While it was great to see a lot of nightlife happening in this once-dead part of our fair city, there was one sight that wasn't so welcome: carriages drawn by sad, exhausted horses.

Frequent PETA Files visitors know about our work to help horses in New York City, but the problem isn't limited to the Big Apple. Case in point: According to news reports, Chicago authorities recently impounded six horses from carriage ride operator JC Cutters. The animal control manager reportedly said that the animals' body weights and the condition of the outdoor tent in which the horses were living were factors in the decision.

Did you get that? The horses were reportedly living in a tent, which the Chicago Tribune described as a "tarp-covered plywood barn near the Chicago River." In the Windy City. In winter. Nice, huh? Maybe Liam Neeson should set up some new digs there.

Now, it's great that Chicago has addressed this immediate problem, but these situations will keep happening as long as we keep putting the horse before the cart, so to speak—and not just in New York and Chicago but everywhere this sad excuse for "entertainment" occurs.

Meanwhile, with Valentine's day coming up, it's worth remembering that horse-drawn carriage rides are anything but romantic (or, as Will said of them on Will & Grace, "It seems romantic at first, but eventually you realize you're cold and you're staring at an ass that craps right in front of you").

Fortunately, New York City Council Member Daniel Garodnick of Manhattan has taken up our suggestion to replace horse-drawn carriages there with environmentally-friendly electric replicas of the classic Ford Model T and is running with it. The current carriage drivers might even be able to make the transition to driving the new cars—you gotta love a win-win situation like that.

Posted by Jeff Mackey

Liam Neeson's appearance on The Daily Show last night has PETA wondering if one of his horses might have kicked him in the head. What else could explain his bizarre opinions about New York City's carriage horses and what wonderful lives he thinks they have?

"Have you been in these stables?" he asked. "I would move in tomorrow. Seriously." The man has his choice of at least two posh homes—an enormous condo in Manhattan and a sprawling 6,000-square-foot estate in upstate New York—but apparently he would just as soon live here:

Horses who are forced to pull carriages endure terrible living conditions like these. Sounds like home sweet home to Neeson, though!

Liam's posh 6,000 square foot estate that he would apparently prefer to give up to live in the stables

It gets better. When Jon Stewart questioned whether the horses would prefer to be free, Liam said, "Everyone thinks cows in the fields would rather be running wild … that's bullsh** … horses don't either."

Oh, Liam, maybe you're right, let me ponder this for a moment … It does seem like horses would prefer to endure the freezing cold and the panicky booms, noisy traffic, and exhaust fumes of the city over living in a lush pasture. And you're right, they probably much prefer the whips, shouting, heavy gear, traces, and lack of water in the troughs as well as the long shifts trudging for hours and pulling strangers in a half-mile circle all day without rest over living a natural life. Makes sense, right?

Jon stood firm, though, and came to the support of horses, adding, "I don't think living on 52nd and 11th is a holiday for a horse."

Well put.

Posted by Christine Doré

Snow is great when you're watching it through your window with a soy hot chocolate, but imagine being in harness, dragging a cart full of tourists through slush and ice all day, without even a blanket—despite temperatures in the teens—and with nothing but iron between you and the pavement. Doesn't sound like such a happy holiday to me. And when you call the ASPCA, they mumble that they really can't do much. Go figure! That's why PETA supporters Alec Baldwin, Calvin Klein, Todd Oldham, Kathy Najimy, and our very own Golden Girl, Rue McClanahan, have joined together to sponsor our holiday ad calling on New York City to ban horse-drawn carriages!

You remember our Kristen Johnston ad in which she appears as Lady Godiva on a (fake) horse? That ad reads, "Don't get taken for a ride. Horse-drawn carriages are cruel." With help from our famous friends, our ads are going to appear on the tops of hundreds of NYC taxis throughout the holiday season!

It certainly helps to have kindhearted friends in Hollywood places, especially when you're defending those with no voices of their own. Hopefully, this will remind anyone looking for a ride that there are kinder alternatives! So remember, if you're lucky enough to be in New York for the holidays, make sure to save a horse and ride the subway!

Thanks to Alex, Calvin, Todd, Kathy, and Rue, you'll soon see this ad all over NYC.

Posted by Lianne Turner

Last Friday, a New York City "carriage horse" slipped on the ice and fell into a split on 59th Street. Big surprise!

Filmmaker Donny Moss asked the following to the ASPCA—which is charged with enforcing the anti-cruelty code and regulations on horse-drawn carriages:

"Why did the ASPCA allow the carriage drivers to leave the stables this morning when everyone in the City knew that a major winter storm was about to blanket NYC with snow and ice?

"At about 9:00 a.m., the agent who answered your ASPCA hotline told me that the drivers would be sent in when the weather turned. As you know, the long trip back to the "stables" through midtown during a wet and icy winter storm is treacherous. The horses should never have left this morning. But they did, and I videotaped it so that people can see the cruelty taking place on your watch.

"At 11:50 a.m. during the height of the storm, I saw the ASPCA Humane Law Enforcement officer greeting carriage drivers with handshakes and high fives. Shouldn't he have been reprimanding them for continuing to pick up passengers almost two hours into the storm?

"In spite of the best efforts of many activists, conditions for the carriage horses are worse now than they've ever been before. Because the ASPCA has been entrusted with protecting these animals, you have a duty to at the very least minimize the abuse and publicly call for a ban. Until you do, the ASPCA isn't preventing cruelty to animals. You are enabling it."

Well said, Mr. Moss. The New York horse-drawn carriage industry is an exploitive disgrace and a shame on the city, but the ASPCA could do something. It could take its enforcement role seriously and be pro-active—get out there when a storm is expected and advise drivers that anyone working a horse when it hits will be cited. The warning should come before the storm, not during it.

Oh, and while we're at it, remember the horses trying to drink from the empty troughs? That's a violation, too, as is going out without blankets in the cold. And we believe that it's a violation of the anti-cruelty code when horses are unable to lie down at night and get the weight off their feet, because it causes the horses to suffer needlessly.

Posted by Joel Bartlett

fund4horses / CC

Every visit to New York City causes me to reflect upon the misery that befalls those poor old racetrack castoffs, Amish cart-pullers, and other worn-down horses who end up between the shafts of a heavy carriage, pulling loads of tourists—and some uncaring driver—through the dirty, noisy streets of New York City in all weather. Seeing them out there in the winter is particularly upsetting: A few weeks back, I saw one horse still lumbering along in traffic, head down, at 9:30 p.m.

Even when they aren't working, horses need lots of water, yet the "carriage" horses' water troughs are often bone dry. People report seeing the horses standing there, unbending in their traces and unseeing in their blinders, unable to take a drop of water. And, when, late at night, they finally end up at their "stables"—which are actually decrepit fire-trap walk-ups—they cannot even take their weight off their aching feet: The "stalls" are boxes or bars that fit just around their bodies, like sow stalls on factory farms.

Oh, there's so much more that stinks for these poor horses, including the traffic accidents that spook, hurt, and kill them. (I've seen a driver, obviously anxious to go home to his comfortable house, whip and race his horse, chariot-style, pounding along the road; this must have added to the horse's pain.) PETA and local concerned citizens are working hard to make this business go away. We want to see it switch to something humane—perhaps to a new, environmentally friendly tourist vehicle that doesn't bleed, ache, and die. It may take another year of hard work, but what can we do in the meantime, other than tell people never to ride in the carriages?

Perhaps you'd like to contact the ASPCA—which is charged with enforcing the anti-cruelty code and regulations on horse-drawn carriages—with your thoughts and questions. Please share with us the answers you receive. The horses can't ask why someone doesn't order their owners to allow them to lie down at night, for example, but we can. And, in my opinion, local law enforcement can compel the owners to let them.

Posted by Ingrid Newkirk

Yes, the Kristen Johnston, and yes, she is starkers on that plastic horse.

Two-time Emmy Award–winning actor Kristen Johnston, whom you will remember as the hysterical Sally on Third Rock From the Sun, stripped down for PETA's new ad targeting the cruelty of the horse-drawn carriage trade. In this gorgeous tribute to Lady Godiva—another fearless activist—Kristen urges us not to "get taken for a ride," because horse-drawn carriages are cruel, not romantic. Check it out:

Yours truly was lucky enough to attend the launch of Kristen's ad—because it was in New York, natch, where a bill is being proposed that would ban horse-drawn carriages! Kristen's beautiful ad is displayed on more than 100 taxi tops all over the city, so we decided to show them off in the most natural place—in Central Park, just across the street from where the carriage drivers wait to pick up passengers.

Kristen was very gracious about posing for the press, even hopping up on the hood of one of the taxis. She's a very classy lady, and was kind enough to take pictures with a few fans as well. One older lady was so excited when she saw Kristen that she went right up to shake her hand, and just beamed from ear to ear when she had her picture taken with the actress.

Kristen is just as funny in person as she is on screen, and it was a treat to work with her. She's also passionate about helping get the carriage horses out of their traces and off the streets—as are many people when they learn about the way the horses are abused. So once you're done staring at the ad, read more facts about carriage horses. And if you're a New York City resident, please contact your city council representative and urge him or her to support Councilmember Dan Garodnick's bill to replace the city's horse-drawn carriages with eco-friendly electric models of classic 1920s cars! How glam, right?

Posted by Amanda Schinke

sidereel / CC

Well, it's about time! The Academy finally realized what's what last night when they awarded our beloved Alec Baldwin a well-deserved Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series. Take it from an office full of die-hard 30 Rock fans—the man is amazingly funny. And hey, take it from an office full of animal lovers—the man is one of the greatest friends to animals we know!

Alec—a vegetarian, by the way—has always donated his time and effort to fight for those who can't fight for themselves. Highlights of Alec's work for animals include hosting the premier screening of Blinders, a documentary that shows the cruel horse-drawn carriage industry for what it really is; recording a public service announcement for PETA in behalf of animals used in entertainment; pleading for compassion for animals who are used and abused in traveling acts; and going to Capitol Hill with PETA to address members of Congress and demand that the Humane Slaughter Act finally be enforced.

But, y'know, I think a lot of us love Alec most for his narration of PETA's slaughterhouse investigation video, "Meet Your Meat." His voice has inspired tens of thousands of people to stop eating animals—and more people watch the video every day!

Other Viewing Options

So congratulations, Mr. Baldwin, on your well-deserved Emmy award. All of us here at PETA are grateful for your years of dedicated advocacy, and we wish you continued happiness and success in the years ahead!

Posted by Carrie Ann Harris

Pam wearing a ‘Ban Horse Drawn Carriages' button

The big A is in the Big Apple this week, and she's spreading a little love and gratitude for one man in particular: NYC Councilmember Tony Avella. Yes, the wonder woman of animal protection (aka Pam Anderson)—who is in town promoting her new E! television show Girl on the Loose (which premiers on E! this Sunday at 10:00pm)—took a little extra time to give the city a much-needed reality check. The actor sent Avella roses and a note expressing her appreciation and support for his sponsoring of a bill that would ban horse-drawn carriages in the city.

Here's what Pam had to say:

Dear Tony,

I'm in New York this week, and although I dread seeing the carriage horses being forced to work in the summer heat, I'm thrilled that you've introduced a bill to ban this cruel old trade. I hope you're successful in getting New York to join Toronto, Paris, and Beijing in getting horse-drawn carriages off the streets. Good luck and best wishes from me and all your pals at PETA!

Pamela Anderson

Nice work, Pam! Boarding a horse-drawn carriage in a busy city like New York City is as senseless as playing a game of Russian roulette. City noises such as construction, loud music, and even car horns easily spook horses, putting not only horses but also passengers, car drivers, and pedestrians in danger.

Conditions are very cruel for these working animals. Horses are exposed to drastic weather changes and a lack of shade during summer months, and they often do not receive veterinary checkups on a routine basis. Consider this: If you dislike walking on the hot sand during the summer, you better believe that working horses don't enjoy stepping on the city asphalt—which can climb up to 30 degrees warmer than the ambient air temperature. Then try breathing exhaust fumes as you pull a cart.

To show your support for this bill, trot (geddit?) on over to our action alert and contact NYC's VIPs to let them know what you think about horse-drawn carriages. Also check out our NYC Horse Drawn Carriage MySpace page and friend us already!

Posted by Jennifer Cierlitsky

Photo Credit: Patricia Schlein

Last night was another red-carpet moment for animals. Alec Baldwin hosted the premier screening of Blinders—the latest documentary to give viewers a critical inside look at the inner dealings of the horse-drawn carriage industry. Director Donny Moss exposed the archaic industry for what it is—a living hell for horses. Forced to spend their days breathing in exhaust fumes, walking on hard pavement, and risking their lives because of weather extremes and idiotic NYC drivers that somehow passed their driver's tests, these horses are prevented from doing anything that is natural and important to them. Moss began to record the daily lives and living conditions of horses pulling carriages in and around Central Park after noticing the onslaught of recent injuries to horses in the carriage industry.

Says PETA President Ingrid Newkirk of the documentary, "From the stench inside the horses' minuscule stalls, where horses sleep standing up in piles of their own waste, to the hostile streets of Manhattan, where horses live a nose-to-tailpipe existence, Moss doesn't blink in documenting how horses live long after tourists' 30-minute rides are over."

Chrissie Hynde, Pink, and Lea Michele have all thrown their support behind a carriage-horse-free NYC; now it's your turn. Throw your blinders in the trash and jump on the bandwagon ... so to speak, of course.

Posted by Jennifer Cierlitsky

From the incomparable Dan Piraro.

More on horse-drawn carriages in NYC.

I hate to "out" myself as a listener of Mancow's Morning Madhouse Show, but I actually caught him praising Frommer's Travel Guides this morning as his preferred companion while globe-trotting. Funny he should mention that, 'cause we love the folks at Frommer's too!

In a very progressive move, Frommer's Travel Guides is now advising readers not to support the horse-drawn carriage industry in New York City. In the New York Experiences to Avoid section of the 2008 Frommer's Guide to New York City, tourists are instead urged to "[p]ity those poor beasts of burden," who appear "so forlorn, as if [pulling carriages is] the last thing they want to do." The guide recommends pedicab rides to people who "want a slow, leisurely ride through Central Park, minus the ripe and frequent smell of horse poop ...."

While it is of course excellent that Frommer's is making this statement on behalf of horses in the city's carriage industry, I can't imagine that any reader of the guide—as a person with enough intellect to be literate—would find it too surprising that horses might not want to die in a car crash or, worse, spend a life in servitude to visiting yuppies. New York is famous for a host of other things—from window shopping to the good eats at Red Bamboo—so I don't think visitors will be at a loss if they can't spend a half-hour getting a buzz off the smell of feces.

—Sean

Posted by Sean Conner, Laboratory Investigations Special Projects Coordinator

We’re going full steam ahead with our efforts to permanently ban horse-drawn carriage rides in New York, and the latest high profile New Yorker to sign on to the campaign is Lea Michele, the beautiful star of the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical, Spring Awakening. Here’s what she said about her decision to do this ad on behalf of New York’s carriage horses:

"These horses are forced to work long hours in extreme weather conditions, all while walking on hard pavement and inhaling exhaust fumes. As a New Yorker, I know how tough it can be to navigate the city streets, and that's on two feet! When I see the horses attached to carriages and made to pull heavy loads in traffic, it makes me sad and angry. I want tourists to know that long after their rides are up, these horses’ miserable lives continue, day in and day out."

Thank you, Lea! I’ve posted the new ad below, and you can learn more about the campaign here.

Some traditions, regardless of how much fun they may have seemed a hundred years ago, need to just go ahead and die. And any “tradition” that involves beating and abusing living beings needs to do so sooner rather than later. Of course that doesn’t always mean you have to stop doing something you were way into—it just means you have to stop doing the part of it that was stupid and ill-thought-out in the first place. People who can’t live without old-timey rides in New York City, for instance, can still have them after we win our campaign to ban horse-drawn carriages in the city. As this recent article in The New York Post explains in more detail, we want the city’s politicians to replace the carriages with "green" replicas of antique cars like the Ford Model T. I’m way into the idea. What do you think?

EverettCurrierFarm / CC

Two PETA carriage horse monitors—who had been watching Central Park carriage drivers to document any cruelty to horses—were recently attacked by a man who shoved them and struck one of them on the head as they videotaped the hack line on Central Park South. We’re still waiting to find out whether the individual involved in the attack was a carriage horse driver himself or whether he’s just, like, a really big fan of their work, but I’ll post an update if we get any more information from the NYPD.

In the meantime, here’s your standard shaky-camera, profanity-laden youtube video of the encounter. For more information about the carriage horse industry and to find out what you can do to help carriage horses in New York, click here.

There was yet another carriage-horse fatality in New York today. How many more horses have to die before New York realizes that this industry has no place in a civilized city? The following is PETA’s official statement on the incident.

PETA has just learned that a horse used to pull carriages in New York City died this afternoon at the Clinton Park Stables. Unconfirmed reports indicate that the horse died of colic, which causes severe abdominal pain. PETA is investigating the circumstances of the horse’s death and reminds New Yorkers as well as tourists that these horses should be in pastures, not locked in dark, damp stalls in warehouse buildings. We renew our call to New Yorkers to help put an end to this inhumane and unsafe industry and to support City Council Member Tony Avella’s proposal to ban horse-drawn carriages in the city.

Chrissie Hynde got married while sitting in a horse-drawn carriage in Manhattan in the '80s, but she’s changed her views on how ‘romantic’ carriage horse rides are since then. This afternoon, she led a PETA protest in Central Park to encourage tourists not to support the carriage-horse industry, which is notorious for abusing the animals it profits from, and forces them to pull heavy loads through exhaust-filled streets in all weather extremes. Here’s what she says about the whole sordid business:

"Learning about how horses have died in accidents and seeing their pathetic night stalls got me to change my tune about carriage horses. I love horses and hate seeing them reduced to beasts of burden in one of my favorite cities in the world."

And here’s what she said about her marriage:

"I got hitched to Jim Kerr (Simple Minds) in a horse drawn carriage in New York. The marriage didn't last and I hope the carriages meet the same fate."

A huge thank you to Chrissie for selflessly coming through for animals in need yet again. There are some pics from the event below, and while we’re at it, you can click here for a nice photo of Ms. Hynde at the recent opening of her vegan restaurant in Akron, Ohio. You frickin’ rule, Chrissie Hynde.

So, after years of hard work by animal protection advocates exposing the extreme cruelty involved in these operations, some of the last horse slaughterhouses in the U.S. were shut down. But the folks in the horse-racing and horse-carriage industries still need to do something with the thousands of horses who are rendered useless to them every year due to old age or outright abuse. So they’ve been sending these animals across the border to Mexico, which has even more lax regulations for its slaughterhouses than the abysmal standards in the U.S.—and the results are positively gruesome.

The good news is that there’s a bill on the table that would ban the export of horses to foreign slaughterhouses called the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act, and we’re pushing hard right now to help get it passed. You can click here to learn more about the act and write to your Representatives through our online form to ask that they support the new bill to protect horses.

I’ve never understood the whole carriage horse attraction. Setting aside the animal rights thing for a second, I just don’t get how people could possibly construe riding around a loud busy city in a non-air-conditioned buggy while smelling horse crap the whole time as even the slightest bit romantic. I’ve always found it totally absurd. But believe it or not, that’s not what this post is about . . .

Fund4Horses/Creative Commons

Last week a spooked horse used for carriage rides collided with a taxi cab in NYC, injuring the horse and taxi driver. Sadly, this isn’t an isolated incident. Carriage and car collisions and other such accidents have occurred in nearly every location where horse-drawn carriages are allowed. The last one I heard about was last year when a horse was euthanized after bolting from his carriage and slamming into a station wagon—the driver received a fractured skull and a medically induced coma. You may remember that case because Martha Stewart’s daughter, Alexis, jumped on it and brought some much needed attention to the issue. The same year, two other people were seriously injured in collisions, and one horse was repeatedly whipped after collapsing in Central Park—she died in her stall the next morning. Anyway, this latest incident—there have been more than 20 in the past 10 years—happened on July 4th, when a horse became spooked and ran into a taxi cab, resulting in lacerations of the horse’s leg and hospitalization of the cab driver.

The harsh reality here is that as long as horses are forced to work in loud and busy city environments, these accidents will continue to happen regularly. And in addition to the clear danger it poses to people, the horses’ hooves and legs suffer from constant pounding on hard pavement and the smoke and exhaust fumes from urban traffic can make them ill.

So, please take a moment to click here to join us in urging the New York City council to ban the outdated and cruel horse-drawn carriages that endanger animals, drivers, passengers, and pedestrians. Palm Beach, Fla., London, Paris, and Toronto have all banned carriage horses because of cruelty to animals, and it’s time for New York City to join them.

IneTours/Creative Commons

And don’t worry about the tourists. They’ll be fine. If they insist on sticking out like a sore thumb they can still take one of the super cheesy roof-top bus tours . . .