THE VOICELESS

just, fair society. Animals matter, and I think that the collective conscious about how animals matter morally has shifted and will continue to shift in the right direction.

How

did you get involved with NYCLASS?

I have worked closely with NYCLASS on the carriage horse issue and other New York City animal rights initiatives and legislation in New York since 2009 through my involvement with other animal protection organizations. In 2017, when NYCLASS restructured as an organization, I was thrilled to join the team as Executive Director. As a lifelong New Yorker, the plight of the longsuffering carriage horses has always been close to my heart. NYCLASS focuses on making big differences for animals in New York by both passing legislation to protect animals and end abuse and doing advocacy work.

As Executive Director, what is your typical day like?

There is no typical day! As a small organization, I wear many different hats for NYCLASS on any given day. One day I may be monitoring and filming the carriage horses and documenting and exposing the many violations and cruelties that occur to the horses at 59th Street and throughout the city, I may be leading an educational outreach or rally event for the horses with volunteers, I may be meeting with elected officials, or testifying at a City hearing or an event on behalf of NYCLASS or doing a media interview. NYCLASS is the only organization with a focus on helping New York City carriage horses, so we need to be constantly vigilant in regard to being aware of what is going on with them on city streets daily, documenting and reporting any abuse or violations that we see or that are reported to us. In addition to advocating for the carriage horses, we also support and lobby for many other pro-animal, pro-environment pieces of legislation in both the City Council and on a state level, and we endorse and help elect candidates for office who support animal rights.

Every day I am also communicating with our supporters and volunteers, answering emails and questions, posting content on our social media accounts, sending out email action alerts and updating our website. I love that no day is ever the same!

What is the biggest challenge(s) you face when advocating for the horses?

We operate in New York City, which has so much going on every single day and is the city that never sleeps! Getting mainstream attention for your cause and passing legislation and changing laws can be a challenge at times because of the overwhelming number of other things and important causes happening at any moment in New York. However, there is so much support among New Yorkers and many of our elected officials for making positive changes for the horses, so we are grateful for that.

Where are we today regarding the carriage horses and progress? What is the mission for 2021?

At the end of 2019, we made significant progress with two big significant changes to improve the welfare of New York City’s carriage horses. The hack line was moved out of traffic on 59th Street into car-safe no traffic locations in Central Park. Secondly, we passed a signature legislation Carriage Horse Heat Relief Bill. It was signed into law in November of 2019 by Mayor de Blasio. Prior to this bill, horses were subjected to extremely high heat during the day. They suffered in heat indexes up 150 degrees, resulting in horses collapsing, getting sicker and some dying.

The goal in 2021 is to completely ban horse carriages. So many other locations around the world have already done so. New York is lagging in making progress compared to other countries and cities. The challenge is that the industry is one of the largest in the country. But, our goal is to keep fighting, address local governments, educate tourists and locals on just how cruel the carriage industry is and how badly the horses are mistreated and mishandled.

NYCLASS is committed to creating positive changes for the horses and righting these wrongs. This is the year to make it happen! https://www.nyclass.org/