Don't Get Taken For A Ride This Valentine's Day!

Our friends will be out in force today capturing pictures of any carriage driver breaking the rules.  Some in particular are the following:

Picking up and dropping off passengers anywhere but at a designated horse drawn carriage stand
Horses not being allowed the proper amount of rest time in between rides
Weather restrictions.  We hear it is supposed to be pretty cold out there tonight!!!


All the rules can be found here:

Rules and Regulations for Horse Drawn Carriages in Chicago

If you see a carriage breaking the law, then videotape or snap a photo of the carriage and carriage license plate. Call 911 and 311 immediately with company name, plate # and location.  Remember, do not confront the drivers directly as they can become violent.  We just want to help the horses!!


Ban Chicago Carriage Horses NOW!

We Want A Kinder Chicago. NOW!

It looks like people are opening their eyes and supporting a kinder Chicago!  Here are some links to a few pages we found on Facebook recently.

Ban Chicago Carriage Horses Now

Carriage Horse Cruelty

Just because something always was, doesn't make it right.  People say Chicago won't be the same and the horses are happy.  Trust me, no one is going to notice when this outdated ritual is finally gone. 

Support Carriage-Free Chicago and Matt McEwan!!

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  Isn't it time this outdated "tradition" be put to pasture along with those sick, old and tired horses?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.

Not ALL Good Things Come To An End.........

Have you missed me, darlings?!?  Lots of fun stuff happening in the carriage industry these days.

More to come.

Xoxo,

E.T

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.

Honesty?

Hey guys - I love you all. You are all most wonderful.

At the moment, I'm so effing shot, it ain't funny. I'd be more effusive, but I've got to save it for putting together some information for some people.

I will post pictures when I've got some rest behind me. I went in today and found hay in one of the horses' stalls, water in buckets, and three bales of hay left (which I knew about because I was planning on picking up another load shortly). IOW, someone had been in there that morning to feed.

I will put out a warning that the stalls were gross. We're situated at a disadvantage for water run off. The barn's located at the bottom of a run off to the river, and we have a raised lot on one side. The lot's higher than us by 16" or more. The sudden melt flooded right into the barn. Add to that what had frozen in the stalls that was thawing out, and one has grossness. However, they weren't hock deep in shit as we'd been keeping the stalls cleaned out on a regular basis. We had plans to strip and reshave on Friday, which got rudely interrupted.

I'm all about being honest, which is why I'm putting out a warning. I'll be able to get back on tomorrow evening and get the pictures up then.

-"Hoss Driver"

Follow Up Story

Seized Chicago Carriage Horses Find Temporary Home in Suburbs
by: Lisa Kemp
February 11 2009, Article # 13598
As found on http://www.thehorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx?ID=13598

Six Chicago horses belonging to J.C. Cutters Ltd. carriage company were seized on Friday, Feb. 6, amid conflicting reports on the reason for--and questions on the legality of--the action. The horses were taken to Flanery Farms, a private boarding stable in Maple Park, Ill.

"Animal Care and Control didn't have a court order to seize the horses," said Michele Goudie, J.C. Cutters Ltd. manager since 1997. "We've tried to comply with everything the city has asked us to do. It just never seems to be enough."

J.C. Cutters has reportedly received prior citations regarding animal care violations; calls to the City of Chicago Animal Care and Control office to confirm the number and nature of the citations, and to confirm the physical condition of the horses last Friday, were not returned.

One issue cited in media reports is J.C. Cutters' current stable, located at 1501 N. Magnolia on Chicago's Near Northwest side. Although some have described it as a tent, it is a wooden stall structure, covered by a white tarp.

According to Scott Waguespack, City Council member and alderman of the 32nd Ward, the temporary stable was never meant to be a permanent structure. "It was built in August, 2008, as temporary housing while they looked for a more permanent solution. The building they were using (previously) was cited through the city's Building Department because it had walls that were collapsing."

Although the future of the horses is uncertain, Flanery Farm owners Gerry and Franki Ellerbee report they're doing fine. The six horses are now receiving a minimum of eight hours of daily turnout, are housed in clean stalls at night, and are being fed a diet of grass hay and pelleted feed.

"They're running out in the pastures, and have already gone through 20 bales of hay," said Franki.

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.