Carriage Horses Face Eviction From City Stables

by Stephanie Feldstein · 2010-05-22 15:22:00 UTC
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Shamrock Stables is one of five carriage-horse stables in New York City, and the only one that's leasing its building from the city. They've been on a month-to-month lease since 2001, and have known for years that their spot was headed for redevelopment. Last month, the land was finally sold and Shamrock was given their eviction notice.

As far as the ASPCA and New Yorkers for Clean, Livable & Safe Streets are concerned, the eviction is the perfect opportunity for retirement. The two organizations have offered to work with Shamrock and the city to find good homes for the horses outside of the city. "This option puts the welfare of the horses first and prevents them from being auctioned off to work farms or where the possibility for exploitation and inhumane treatment is high."

Sounds like an excellent plan to me, but the stable owners say they'd like to stay in business. However, they've been getting away with paying $5,000 a month for stables that would normally cost $60,000 a month, and say they can't afford the market rent. So, they turned to the city looking for a handout. Ian McKeever, one of the stable's owners, said at a news conference, "We hold New York's most precious commodity in the palm of our hand, and that's the tourist." Not this tourist.

In his plea for support, McKeever also said, "Compassion is what I am looking for in these economic times."

Interesting choice of words, since compassion is all that opponents of the carriage horse industry ever wanted. It's been a long time since the city was an appropriate — or safe — place for horses. In addition, the horses are forced to work long hours and, even under new guidelines, spend 47 weeks of the year surrounded by exhaust fumes and concrete, cooped up in stables without any pasture time.

Although Shamrock has nowhere to go, they're refusing to consider the ASPCA/NYCLASS offer. Carolyn Daly, representative for the stables, said, "This is like someone losing their job, and the first thing they offer as a solution is taking your children." Sure, if your children had spent their days working in a sweatshop. If Shamrock's relationship with the horses was familial and not financial, the animals would have been retired a long time ago.

Photo credit: hey tiffany!

Stephanie Feldstein is a Change.org Editor who has been part of the animal welfare and rescue community for over a decade, and most recently worked for an environmental organization.

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