Horse Collapses in New York City as Pedestrians Look on in Horror!

New York City is known for it’s “Horse and Buggy” rides.  They are a daily attraction and tourists as well as people who live in the area can see them on the streets every day and every night.  Like cabs they will take you anywhere you want to go.  Yet, do these horses belong on the busy city streets? After several of these horses collapsed over the last few months many people don’t think so.

The horse that collapsed last night is alive and the ASPCA is investigating why it happened.  However one horse collapsed last month while carrying passengers and wasn’t so lucky.  He died and an autopsy revealed that he had several under-lying conditions including a stomach ulcer and a broken tooth.  How did these ailments go un-noticed?  These horses aren’t the only ones to have collapsed in the city either, last nights case will be the fourth since July of this year.  Why are these horses collapsing?  Many people believe it is because they are not being given the mandatory vet checks.  

Mayor Bloomberg supports the horse and carriage trade.  However, State Senator Tony Avella sponsors legislation to ban the horse and buggy ride.  He states that there have been too many incidents where horses have collapsed and died in the middle of midtown traffic which is dangerous to pedestrians and motorists.  Yet, Mayor Bloomberg suggests that if these horses didn’t have a job many of them wouldn’t be alive today.  So, what’s the answer? Should these horses be off the streets? Or should they just be given more rigourous vet checks?