Clara Tavakoli-Gosha testifies remotely supporting ban
Clara Tavakoli-Gosha, a multi-species ethicist with a Harvard master's, testifies remotely that lack of oversight is devastating, that no one truly enjoys the carriage experience, and proposes museum-like immersive historical experiences as cruelty-free alternatives.
Hello, my name is Clara Tavakoli-Gosha, and I am a multi-species ethicist with a master's from Harvard University.
My work involves addressing the dominance of the anthropocentric worldview with respect for all species.
If these horses were truly cared for and respected, they would not be in this industry.
Lack of oversight and transparency for the well-being of horses in the carriage industry is not surprising, but it has been devastating to hear the extent of it in this council meeting.
When we see a horse attached to a carriage collapsing in the street, there are countless devastated passersby.
New Yorkers stop to try and help the horse.
Some are crying, some are filming, and time and again we see the driver looking on with an expression of annoyance rather than concern for the horse.
Every sad passerby is not an animal rights activist, as those who exploit horses suggest, to minimize how many people care.
Yes, New Yorkers care and are saddened by the continual displays of cruelty to horses being forced to work.
Tourists expect New York City attractions to be fun and safe.
Who truly enjoys this?
Not the horses, not the residents, not the tourists, not even the drivers.
Wasn't this supposed to be a pleasant experience?
The way nostalgia works is that we recall something from a bygone time in our lives, often from childhood.
No one alive today remembers the 1800s.
What could be fun is real nostalgia.
Instead, imagine unique museum-like spaces designed for immersion and photographs, featuring styles and music from different eras of New York City, providing a historical experience that is actually fun and cruelty-free.
The horses must finally be freed to live at sanctuaries and have a chance to feel relief, no longer forced to work until they collapse and die from pain and exhaustion.
I very much look forward to this band finally being made official.
Thank you for your time.
Thank you very much.
Victoria Moran.
You may begin.