NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — A local animal rights group is calling on New York City officials to step in and save an "emaciated, sick" carriage horse that they say has been seen working for at least the past week, despite their pleas for help.
Edita Birnkrant, executive director of New Yorkers for Clean, Livable and Safe Streets, told The New York Post that the horse — which has ribs exposed and at least one open wound on its left hip — was first seen by a passerby in Central Park last Monday.
“This horse is too thin, emaciated and has multiple wounds,” she told the Post.
Birnkrant said she told Mayor Bill de Blasio's office of the horse's condition.
A city representative reportedly told the executive director that the New York City Department of Health would send a veterinarian to check on the horse's condition — however, NYCLASS said the animal was still working as of Monday.
A department spokesperson told the Post that the agency is investigating. However, Birnkrant said she is angry no immediate action has been taken to stop the horse from working.
“It’s really outrageous," she said. "Nothing was done and this horse was working through the heatwave."
Birnkrant reportedly found the horse at a stable on Tuesday, with the group sharing videos on it's social media, urging for help.
She told the Post that she called the police after she was "threatened" by a carriage driver. Birnkrant said that the responding officers who saw the horse were “very concerned and sort of kind of shocked,” but were unsure of what to do.
The executive director said her organization is now willing to relocate the horse to a sanctuary or farm to receive care and is also asking for NYPD’s Animal Cruelty Squad to investigate.
The department did not respond immediately to the Post's request for comment.
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