Actress Joanna Lumley Disapproves of Horse-Drawn Carriage Industry

Joanna Lumley, British actress and former Bond girl, is not afraid to say what's on her mind. I dig most of her opinions, as she's an anti-fur advocate and is "appalled" by foie gras. But I must admit I was horrified when the Absolutely Fabulous star made headlines for criticizing Kate Middleton's style, advising Kate to get a "fleet of stylists."

While Lumley may not be a fan of Prince William's future wife, she will at least be pleased that Middleton's equine allergy may prevent the couple from arriving at their wedding in a horse-drawn carriage. The vegetarian actress has strong opinions against that method of four-legged transportation.

In a recent interview with PETA, Joanna Lumley spoke out against horse-drawn carriages in New York City: “People have an old romantic notion about [horse-drawn carriages]. I would just say, Please think again — think of the freezing and boiling weather they are forced to work in, and think of the cramped city stables where the horses are kept.”

Indeed, to many, a one-horse open sleigh does sound romantic this time of year. The holiday season is the busiest time of the year for the carriage industry, but unfortunately the carriage horses aren't laughing all the way. The horses are overworked, often denied the 15-minute breaks they are required to be given every two hours.

Friends of Animals, an animal rights organization, claims: “Numerous horse advocates have witnessed and documented the law being broken, and horses being relentlessly worked with no breaks, often soaked in sweat, exhausted and desperately trying to drink from the empty water trough near the hack line.”

New York City is no place for a horse. Horses suffer from hoof deterioration from walking on pavement for hours, and spend all day breathing in tailpipe exhaust. Last month, a city bus hit a carriage horse.

The Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages has proposed a plan to replace the horses with electric-powered antique cars. And even Joanna Lumley approves: "I love the bill aimed at replacing the horse-drawn carriages with Great Gatsby–era cars. That is glamorous!"

Hopefully that's where NYC is headed, but it may take awhile to get there. For now, there's one more ugly aspect to the carriage horse industry that horse-loving Americans should know about. When New York City carriage horses are retired, they aren't sent off to a grassy field where they can put their pavement-worn hooves up. As Stephanie Feldstein wrote about last month, many New York City carriage horses fall through the cracks and may be sent to slaughter.

The current law does not protect carriage horses from going to kill auctions, and many of them may end up among the tens of thousands of horses trucked across the borders to Canada and Mexico, where they will be butchered for meat.

Carriage horses deserve better than to end up in dog kibble. Sign the petition to ask the New York City Council to protect carriage horses from slaughter.

Photo Credit: bekspangler