Multi-part Series of Courage and Compassion on the Street, Part 13: New York City Animal Liberation March

In September 2023, it was in New York City that animal-people rights defenders gathered once more to inform and mobilize the public on the need to respect animal-people similarly to humans, as well as the urgency to end all of their use and abuse by various sectors such as the alimentation, entertainment, cosmetics, and fashion industries. “One struggle, one fight! Human freedom, animal rights! One struggle, one fight! Human freedom, animal rights! There is no excuse! For animal abuse! There will be no right! For the animal abuser!” “I joined every year. So, what we’ve all learned here is that the animals are treated just terribly cruel. We don’t need animals to survive. Also, with respect to the environment, killing animals, it’s one of the biggest contributors to greenhouse gases.” “And I think it’s one of the most powerful things that we as individuals can do something that you have actually have control over. And so, if you want to make change, if you want to halt the destruction of our planet, being vegan is the most important thing that you can do.”

Amongst the speakers was Nicole Osielo, the Executive Director of Horseracing Wrongs who explained the kind of life horse-people subjected to the racing fields and other forms of entertainment go through. “The horses (were) used abused and killed for entertainment and gambling. At horse racing longs we have documented almost 10,000 kills on our website since 2014 and we estimate that 2,000 horses died every year at US tracks. That's about six dead horses a day for gambling and entertainment.” In New York City, in August 2022, the passing of a horse-person while at work carrying passengers prompted local activists to action and a shout out for public support to end such practice. Their diligence culminated in the municipality signing the New York Ryder's Law No. 573. In effect this new regulation is a step forward as it reads: “The operation of such cabs would be prohibited beginning June 1, 2024. The industry would be replaced by horseless electric carriages that provide trips within Central Park and certain areas of Manhattan.”