Glee actor Lea Michele has stepped forward against the cruelty of horse-drawn carriages with PETA.
In a new video, Lea exposes the harsh conditions that these overworked horses are subjected to—all day, every day. The native New Yorker also posed with a rescued horse for a gorgeous PETA ad to help spread the message that horses don’t belong in traffic.
“Imagine for a moment that you’re forced to do hard physical labor all day, seven days a week—whether it’s sweltering hot or freezing cold outside,” Lea says. “At the end of the day, instead of relaxing on [an] easy chair or sleeping in a comfortable bed, you are locked in a tiny closet all night long.” This tortured life is a sad reality for the horses who are used to pull carriages.
During their workday, these horses are forced into dangerous traffic, where they develop respiratory ailments from inhaling exhaust fumes and debilitating leg problems from pounding the hard pavement. They constantly weave between cars and are often spooked by loud noises on the streets. As a result, accidents sometimes occur in which many horses and people are seriously injured or even killed. When not working, these horses are confined to cramped stalls in which they are unable to turn around, stretch their legs, or even lie down comfortably.
To find out more, visit PETA.com.
