Martina Navratilova Slams NYC Horse-Carriage Trade
Did you catch this online video showing a New York City horse-drawn carriage driver who spewed homophobic and racist slurs at some people who were peacefully distributing literature about the cruel carriage industry during NYC’s Pride weekend?
Well, PETA pal, tennis legend, and gay icon Martina Navratilova has sent the video footage to NYC City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, also an outspoken gay rights advocate, along with a request on behalf of PETA to pass an initiative that would phase out the use of horse-drawn carriages in the city and allow electric, 1920s-era replica cars to gradually take their place.
As the list of accidents involving horse-drawn carriages grows and horses continue to endure pain and suffering on hot and hostile city streets, PETA has been campaigning to bring attention to the animals’ plight. Martina says in her letter:
We share a heightened sense of responsibility in fighting the callous disregard that many have for animal suffering because we have experienced a similar disregard for the cruelty that we ourselves have faced. You are a champion of gay rights; won’t you extend your compassion to the city’s beleaguered working animals?
If horse-drawn carriage drivers are this abusive toward women, imagine how they treat their horses. Animal abuse and virulent bigotry are hardly appealing to visitors of tourism-dependent NYC.
What You Can Do
Please join Martina Navratilova, Lea Michele, Kristen Johnston, and many others in supporting an end to horse-drawn carriages in New York City by urging Speaker Quinn to support the initiative to replace them with eco-friendly classic cars.
