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Entries from December 2007

ASPCA allows horses to work illegally during winter storm

December 17th, 2007 · No Comments

DECEMBER 17, 2007

Dear Mr. Sayres:

Why did the ASPCA allow the horses to work for hours and hours on Sunday in miserable and dangerous conditions before sending them in? The winter storm, which started on Saturday night, did not catch us by surprise. As you know, those horses should never have left the “stables” on Sunday morning.

I have a proposal, but first:

On Saturday before the storm, hundreds of unsuspecting tourists lined up throughout the day to take a ride (see below). In order to generate as many fares as possible, many of the drivers ran their horses around the loop as quickly as possible. In the several hours that I observed at the hack lines, I did not see the horses get a rest, much less the 15 minute break every two hours that is required by law. But that’s the least of it….

The two water troughs were EMPTY all weekend. I didn’t see one horse watered in the several hours that I observed them. Parks employees told me that a driver would have to fill a bucket in a public restroom if he wanted to water his horse – a logistical impossibility.

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Tags: Letters

ASPCA refuses to attend press conference announcing bill to ban horse-drawn carriages

December 13th, 2007 · No Comments

DECEMBER 13, 2007
Dear Mr. Sayres:

Your silence is deafening at a time when your voice could save countless animals and change history.

Last Saturday, the ASPCA posted a press release on its website in support of Tony Avella’s bill to ban horse-drawn carriages. Here’s what didn’t happen next:

1. The A didn’t send the release to reporters, as evidenced by the fact that not one story included the A’s news. The media coverage would have been far more positive had THE authority on this issue spoken up. The unfavorable coverage resulting from the A’s silence has hurt the cause.
2. The A didn’t show up at the press conference, where CBS, NBC and ABC reporters would have gladly interviewed you or another spokesperson.
3. The A has not stepped into the media firestorm in any capacity, which has enabled the carriage PR machine to vilify Avella and call the rest of us “extremists.”

The emails you have sent to animal advocates over the past few days have a defeatist tone, yet you haven’t even stepped into the ring to fight. You are sending a very clear message that the A caved into pressure to support this bill, but that you have no intention of working for a ban. Am I missing something here? If so, it is only because the A has been so painfully quiet during this critical time following the intro of Avella’s bill.

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Tags: Letters

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