Brian Shapiro (Humane World for Animals) testifies supporting ban
Brian Shapiro of Humane World for Animals testifies about records revealing DOHMH and DCWP don't effectively share data linking horses to carriages and drivers, and says rescue organizations stand ready to help prevent any horse going to slaughter.
Hello, thank you.
Good morning, Chair Shulman, Honorable Council Members.
My name is Brian Shapiro, Director of Humane World for Animals, formerly the Humane Society of the United States.
We're here supporting Intro 943.
This legislation would address many of the safety shortcomings that the horse carriage industry has continued for decades.
The industry's answer is to put more rules in place, all funded by taxpayers.
The representatives suddenly acknowledged that existing rules were never consistently followed and authorities are now needed to enforce them.
Compliance should not look like a regulator standing over a horse carriage with an open ticket book and pen in hand.
The industry has traditionally controlled its own operations.
It didn't need to wait for another law or death or accident.
It could have done so after the 2007 or 2009 audits, and it could have done so in the past 160 years.
City agencies have tried regulations, yet serious problems remain.
In fact, our recent records requests expose serious problems in the oversight that go unnoticed by the city.
DOHMH only maintains records on horses, while DCWP maintains records on drivers, carriages, businesses.
There's no evidence that the agencies effectively share and link records together to say what horse is pulling what carriage, for which driver or which owner, how long are the horses working.
There needs to be a hard look at this.
Humane World for Animals and other rescue organizations stand ready and have always stood ready to help with this situation so no animal goes to horse slaughter.
I think it's fantastical and outrageous to say that these animals are done for.
I am not an equine surgeon.
I am someone who has 26 years'experience in this, and I stand, my organization stands by, Catskill Animal Sanctuary, equine advocates.
We are not fly-by-night operations.
We are professionals who are here to assist and help these horses.
Thank you for the opportunity to present, and thank you for your time today.
Thank you.
Who's next?