Horse Print Scrubs

Lea Michele Exposes Horse-Drawn Carriage Cruelty

By Chelsi Schriver

Glee actor Lea Michele is raising her voice against the cruelty of horse-drawn carriages. In a shocking undercover video, Lea exposes the harsh conditions that these overworked horses are subjected to—all day, every day. The native New Yorker also posed with a rescued horse for a gorgeous peta2 ad to help spread the message that horses don't belong in traffic.

"Imagine for a moment that you're forced to do hard physical labor all day, seven days a week—whether it's sweltering hot or freezing cold outside," Lea says. "At the end of the day, instead of relaxing on [an] easy chair or sleeping in a comfortable bed, you are locked in a tiny closet all night long." This tortured life is a sad reality for the horses who are used to pull carriages.

During their workday, these horses are forced into dangerous traffic, where they develop respiratory ailments from inhaling exhaust fumes and debilitating leg problems from pounding the hard pavement. They constantly weave between cars and are often spooked by loud noises on the streets. As a result, accidents sometimes occur in which many horses and people are seriously injured or even killed. When not working, these horses are confined to cramped stalls in which they are unable to turn around, stretch their legs, or even lie down comfortably. Don't get taken for a ride. Join Lea and countless others in boycotting horse-drawn carriages!

For more information and to take action, please visit NY-Class.org.

Abused 'Til Their Dying Day

Horses are afforded no federal protection under the Animal Welfare Act, so the responsibility of looking out for horses' welfare falls to local animal control officials. But anti-cruelty laws provide few safeguards to horses, and many humane authorities just don't have the resources or the time to monitor horse-drawn carriages in order to ensure that horses are not being overworked and that operators are following regulations.

When horses grow too old, tired, or ill to continue pulling heavy loads, they aren't retired to green pastures and loving homes, as many people are led to believe. It's cost-prohibitive to maintain a permanent sanctuary for the countless numbers of horses who break down in this industry. Instead, many worn-out horses are slaughtered and turned into food for dogs or for carnivores in zoos, or else they're shipped overseas for human consumption.

What You Can Do

If you live in a city where carriage rides are still allowed, contact your local legislators to ask if they will sponsor a ban. Many cities—including Biloxi, Mississippi; Palm Beach, Key West, and Treasure Island, Florida; Paris, France; and London, England—have already banned horse-drawn carriages.

Learn how you can help halt the abuse of horses used by the racing industry.............