It Looks Like Chicago is Finally Paying Attention!

With The Coalition to Ban Horse Drawn Carriages making leaps and bounds thanks to their new mayor, we here at ET are thrilled that Chicago is finally seeing the light and ending this awful tradition.  Carriage owners will try to convince you that their horses are "well cared for" and "happy" but nothing is further from the truth.  Day in and day out the horses, some of whom are geriatric, are forced to work on the congested streets of Chicago.  When they aren't busy running free in the streets of Old Town, they're made to work long shifts in all kinds of weather.  Isn't it time this outdated "tradition" be put to pasture along with those sick, old and tired horses?  Inside sources tell us that there have been no significant changes since the whole J.C Cutters debacle.  When will The City of Chicago wake up and realize that these owners don't take care of their horses and most of all, NEVER follow any of the rules set forth by The Department of Consumer Services.  In fact, they laugh at how they continue to pull the wool over the city's eyes year after year.  Half the operators are high at work, habitual drug users or illegal immigrants.  When do we say, "ENOUGH?"

Thank you to Alderman Burke and Mayor Emanuel for finally giving this issue the attention it deserves.

And They Lived Happily Ever After.......THE END.

We are pleased to announce that the horses of J.C. Cutters were moved to an adoption facility in Woodstock, IL at the end of March and are now up for adoption!


Looks like Cassa, Natalie, Dr. Seuss, Rita, Sue and Butch will end up with the forever homes that they deserve. Homes that won't include working the streets of Chicago or being kept in filthy conditions. Their new owners will be stable, no pun intended, and able to support these animals needs for the rest of their days.

We couldn't be more proud of The City of Chicago for doing their job.
Anyone who is interested in adoption should contact HAHS at www.hahs.org.

Thank you and Goodnight!

Exposed Truths.

Cutters Court Case and Adoption Process

We've been swarmed with e-mails from our very devoted readers about what will happen to J.C. Cutters horses now that they've been confiscated.

It's quite simple really, they'll be adopted to forever homes. Homes where they'll always be respected and treated kindly. There will be many court proceedings in the next few months with the most recent being on March 12th. One reader brought up a very valid concern. "If the company didn't have money to keep the horses in a wholesome manner then, what makes anyone think that they'll be able to provide for them if they get them back?" Don't worry reader, we're sure the city has thought about that long and hard. CACC has built a solid case against Cutters and will defend their decision to remove the animals from their care. Something tell us that the prosecution will have plenty of knowledge when they walk in to court on March 12th.

Blizzard Warning in effect for Chicago! Cops promise to ticket!

Chicago is under a BLIZZARD WARNING! We're excited to play in the snow! What we are not excited about is the thought of Chicago's carriage horses working in the extreme temperatures and on slick Chicago streets.

Being the caring and concerned folks that we are, we have put in a few calls and sent a few e-mails to various city departments. They assure us that they will be ticketing any and all carriages who attempt to work a carriage horse in temperatures that are to cold or snow. Car travel is a pain in a blizzard, throw a carriage into the mix and there is potential for terrible accidents!

Special thanks to all those in a position of power who actually care about the horses! We wish some of the owners would give their horses the same regard.

Noble Horse carriage horse escapes (April 2008)

Yet another reason it's just not safe to have horses in the city. Lucky for owner, Dan Sampson AND the horse that she didn't get to North Avenue or Division Street. This isn't the first time horses have escaped from the Old Town stable.


Here's a video from ABC 7 here in Chicago

Community Media Workshop article by Curtis Black

This Newstip edited by Curtis BlackContact: 312-344-7783 fax 312-344-6404 curtis@newstips.org

Carriage Companies Challenged Newstip Date: 12-17-2008

Animal rights activists shut down horse carriage traffic on Michigan Avenue last Friday -- the first time a city ordinance banning carriage operations when temperatures drop below 15 degrees has been enforced, they say -- and the city is responding to complaints by shutting down one horse carriage company as of January 1.

A network of animal rights activists from a number of groups, gathered around the open web forum Ban The Carriage, has been holding weekly protests at North Michigan Avenue carriage stands since December 6, calling for a complete ban on the industry. This month regular protests are being held on Saturdays starting at noon; unannounced protests are being held at other times, said activist Marcos Alcozer.

Last Friday temperatures reached 13 degrees and protesters called police repeatedly, Alcozer said. When they arrived they were unfamiliar with the ordinance, "but they verified it and checked the weather conditions and ordered the carriages to go home," he said.

The following Monday, with more frigid temperatures, activists emailed police and the Department of Consumer Services, and when they checked that evening, a Consumer Services inspector was on site to enforce the ordinance, Alcozer said.

Meanwhile, Kerri Stojack of Ald. Scott Waguespack's 32nd Ward office said the Department of Consumer Services is not renewing the business license of JC Cutters Ltd, one of four carriage companies with stands on North Michigan.

The company houses its horses in an unpermitted tent on the Chicago River which lacks electricity and running water, and it has racked up numerous complaints from the city's Animal Care and Control Commission for inadequate shelter and unsanitary conditions, with horse's hay mixed with manure and urine. It was the subject of a WMAQ-TV investigation in October (video).

"It's a big victory," said Alcozer, "but it was an easy target."

His group maintains that the horse carriage industry is inhumane, exposing horses to exhaustion, oversized loads, extreme temperatures, and leg and hoof ailments, as well as the dangers of city traffic. And the city doesn't have the resources to ensure that horses are well kept and not overworked.

"We've met a lot of police officers in the 18th District, and they're all great guys, but they have a lot on their hands," Alcozer said. "Hopefully we can take this off their plate."

The protesters also talk with prospective carriage customers, and many end up deciding not to hire a carriage and sign a petition to ban the industry, he said."It's impossible to make horse-drawn carriages humane," Alcozer said. "The only solution is a permanent ban." Until that's in place, he said, protesters intend to be out there.

More Info:
Marcos Alcozar at Ban The Carriage, 312-218-7834
Karri Stojack at 32nd Ward Office, 773-248-1330

Letter from Alderman of Ward 32

We at Exposed Truths were happy to do our part to write the alderman's office today as part of the week long call in/write in. This is the response we received.


Thank you for your email. We appreciate your concern for the horses at
JC Cutters. We have heard word from the Dept. of Consumer Services that
they are not renewing JC Cutters business license for next year. We
also will not be signing the permit for the permanent tent. Technically
speaking, they do not have to have the Alderman’s signature, but we
have contacted the Building Department to let them that we disapprove,
as well as to tell them that the license is not being renewed, in hope
that this will have an impact.

Dec 15 - 19th: Week long call in for the horses! Say, "NO" to J.C. Cutters tent!

JC Cutters currently has an application pending to obtain a permit for the tent they already have built in the 32nd Ward. They are already housing their horses in this tent even though they do not have a permit to do so. The tent also has no running water and no electricity. This tent is illegal in every way according to the rules set forth by Consumer Services! They have clear guidelines for how carraige horses should be kept and THIS TENT IS NOT IT!

The application has not gone through yet because it is waiting for the Alderman of that ward to approve it and he has not decided whether he will deny or approve their application.
We are organizing a call in and email campaign to tell the 32nd ward alderman Scott Waguespack to deny JC Cutters application for a permit to house their horses in the structure they currently have set up. The horses should not be kept in these horrible conditions!

Please take some time this week to call in and email.

The 32nd Ward's Alderman is Scott Waguespack
His phone number is 773-248-1330
His email address is ward32@cityofchicago.org
Office location is: 2657 N. Clybourn, 60614


Here is a picture that was taken Sunday Morning (12-14-08) of the current conditions.




Thank you ahead of time!!

xoxo

Exposed Truths

Basic needs? Hay, check! Water, check! Turn out! check Heated barn, no thanks!

Here is an e-mail we received from an upscale stable here in Illinois when asked about horses and heated barns. They lawyer from J.C. Cutters will try to make everyone believe that we want heat for these animals, which is NOT true. What we want is to see them living in conditions that are consistent with traditional equine husbandry practices. Tents are fine for horse shows because they're TEMPORARY. 15 years, however, is 16 years too long.


We do not have heat in our barn other than the tack room and feed room. Horses are unlike people and do not have to be kept as warm as we would like to think they need to be. If horses are provided with proper feed - hay especially, they will maintain a good body temp. with their coats. And of course, they need shelter to get out of the wind and cold rain. There have been many articles written in regards to horses being healthier when allowed full turnout - not only for their lungs and bones, but mentally.

In regards to heating a barn - it is ok if an indoor arena is heated to just above freezing not only for the comfort of the riders, but for a horse in full training or working hard, the temp. should be above freezing for their lungs. Other than that horses should not live in a heated barn as when they go outside it is too much of a change for them. This change as well as the humidity of living in a heated barn creates lung problems and illness.

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"HOLD YOUR HORSES!"

Maybe the city needs to make/enforce another rule that should go without saying. "Driver must always be within arm's length of the horse's reins or have a lead rope attached to the horse's bridle." Had that rule been created, a driver from J.C. Cutters would not have a broken collar bone today! Big Kahuna reports:


NEWS ALERT!!! (18th police district)
On Thanksgiving Day, a horse(Arthur) bolted from J.C. Cutter's carriage stand. Witnesses reported the horse was left unattended by the driver and it ran off. Fortunately, the horse did not suffer any injuries when captured a few blocks away. The driver of the carriage was not as lucky as he suffered a broken collar bone while attempting to rein in the horse from the ground as it was running off. The owner of the horse (Betty) declined to comment.

We certainly wish a speedy recovery to the driver.

This gives a whole new meaning to "Hold your horses!"