NYC

Since New York City’s stifling heat wave began in late June, carriage horses have been suspended and sent back to their stables 23 times: six in June and 17, thus far, in July.

According to the New York City Administrative Code, carriage horses must stop working and be allowed to rest in their stables when the temperature reaches 90 degrees Fahrenheit. As the de facto enforcer of New York City’s carriage horse laws, ASPCA Humane Law Enforcement Agents have been on hand to make sure carriage horse operations ceased and that the horses were safe.

“Temperatures at that level only compound the already difficult job performed by carriage horses,” says Joseph Pentangelo, Assistant Director of ASPCA Humane Law Enforcement. “Ideally, we would like to see this industry leave New York City entirely—but until then, ASPCA Agents will continue to make sure that the carriage horses are well cared for.”

The 90-degree threshold is a strict measure of air temperature alone. The law does not take into account humidity or the extreme heat that radiates off the city’s black asphalt streets onto horses’ legs and stomachs.

The ASPCA believes that our city’s unique environment is incapable of ensuring that horses and their human passengers stay healthy and safe, and we have been fighting to get the horses off our noisy, congested streets. To learn more about the fundamental cruelty of New York City’s carriage horse industry—and to see proposed humane alternatives and solutions—please visit our partner agency, NYCLASS.

After six months of legal proceedings, Manhattan, NY, resident Tiara Davis took responsibility for the heinous act of kicking and leash-choking her Pomeranian, Sparky. The 31-year-old was charged with animal abuse but pled guilty to the lesser charge of disorderly conduct.

On January 11, ASPCA Humane Law Enforcement received a tip from the New York City Police Department (NYPD) that a woman was caught on a building surveillance system beating her nine pound dog in the elevator and hallway. The incident occurred at the Grant Houses in Morningside Heights.

Under the terms of the agreement, Davis must complete 12 weeks of anger management classes and 100 hours of community service. She is also banned from owning another pet for at least five years. If Davis fails to comply with the terms of her plea, she faces a maximum penalty of 15 days in jail.

"While we would have liked to have seen the original charges of animal cruelty held up in court, we are pleased that this senseless act of violence resulted in a guilty verdict," says Stacy Wolf, Vice President and Chief Legal Counsel for ASPCA Humane Law Enforcement.

The video can be seen here. PLEASE NOTE that the video footage is of a graphic and violent nature and is not suitable for all viewers. Viewer discretion is advised.

If you know of an animal whose health is being compromised by neglect or abuse, please report it. Visit our Report Cruelty FAQ to learn how to report cruelty in your neighborhood.

On June 17, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus will pitch its tent on New York's famous Coney Island. The one-ring circus—officially called “Illuscination”—will feature, among other animal performers, Bengal tigers, Asian elephants and lions. It will be held in a lot owned by real estate investment company Taconic Investment Partners.

While most people go to the circus because they love animals, many don't realize they are supporting an industry that engages in animal cruelty. Many circus animals are trained through the use of intimidation and physical abuse. Former circus employees have reported seeing animals beaten, whipped and denied food and water—all to force them to learn their routines.

In addition to the use of violence, circus animals are deprived of their basic needs to roam, socialize, forage and play. Stereotypical behaviors such as swaying back and forth, head-bobbing, pacing and self-mutilation are common signs of distress.

Here are several ways you can help fight circus cruelty on Coney Island:

• Don't attend Ringling Bros. or any other circus that features wild animals. Instead choose animal-free circuses and encourage your friends and family to do the same.
   
• Write to Taconic Investment Partners or call (212) 220-9945, and respectfully let them know that they are supporting cruelty to animals.
   
• Help fight for state and federal laws that protect animals and raise the minimum allowable standards of care. Join the ASPCA Advocacy Brigade to be alerted when it’s time to take action on animal-related legislation.

For a more complete list of actions you can take, read our Top Ways to Help Fight Circus Cruelty.

On May 7, the trial of Dachshund killer Dudley Ramsay came to a close. The 25-year-old Brooklyn man was found guilty of aggravated animal cruelty for the deadly beating of his 5-month-old puppy, Junior. The incident occurred in 2006.

An ironworker by trade, Ramsay was convicted of punching and repeatedly smashing the pup against the side of the tub. In spite of the dog’s obvious injuries, Ramsay then waited several hours before taking Junior to a veterinary hospital—ultimately resulting in the dog’s death. A necropsy showed extensive internal injuries, including six fractured ribs and damage to the liver and lungs. The alarmed veterinarian contacted the ASPCA for assistance.

After a thorough investigation, Ramsay was arrested by ASPCA Special Agent Richard Ryan. Upon questioning, Ramsay admitted that he was only trying to "discipline" Junior for misbehaving during a bath. Further inquiry resulted in Ramsay confessing to killing his first Dachshund puppy, Viola, and burying her body in the backyard. Viola’s remains were unearthed, and a necropsy performed at the ASPCA’s Bergh Memorial Hospital revealed that the small dog’s skull had been crushed.

“I think I need help with anger management because I killed my first dog, too,” Ramsey stated several hours after his arrest, according to Special Agent Ryan’s testimony in court.

The brutality of Ramsay's acts impelled Deputy Assistant District Attorney Carol Moran to push for the maximum sentence allowed by law—two years in jail. Despite her efforts, Ramsay was acquitted of killing Viola, but found guilty of felony animal cruelty in the death of Junior. He was sentenced to four months incarceration by Judge Michael Gary. The ruling also places Ramsay on five years probation, mandates anger management training and psychological counseling, and he is banned from owning an animal for eight years.

"While the severity of the crime certainly would have justified a stiffer sentence, we are pleased that this senseless violence resulted in a felony conviction and a term of incarceration," says Stacy Wolf, Vice President and Chief Legal Counsel for ASPCA Humane Law Enforcement.

If you know of an animal who is being hurt, please report it. To report animal cruelty in New York City, call the ASPCA's tip line at (877) THE-ASPCA. Visit our Report Cruelty FAQ to learn how to report cruelty elsewhere.