The Humane Society of the United States

Shark fin ban outreach in Chinatown.

Two weeks ago, we reported that the New York State Senate had taken a major step towards banning shark fin soup--an elite delicacy in Chinatown and total horror show on the ocean floor. On Monday, the state Assembly unanimously agreed, cementing the decision to halt the sale, trade, and possession of fins. The bill now awaits the governor's signature.

Shark fishery managers have argued that state bans like New York's could undermine federal regulations that aim to halt "finning," the practice of slicing off sharks' fins and leaving them to sink, alive but defenseless, to the bottom of the sea. Opponents have also emphasized the role of shark fin in traditional Chinese banquet culture. Still, New York lawmakers, their conservation allies, along with partners in the Asian-American community argue that federal regulations have not gone far enough--not when New York City remains one of the largest markets for fins outside of Asia and the largest port of entry on the East Coast.

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sharkbait via Compfight cc

Imagine your morning commute. You're riding the train when, suddenly, a guy jumps you and takes off your arms and legs. "See ya," he says, walking away with your limbs under his arm. "Have a nice day."

That's sort of what it's like to be a shark that's been "finned"--harvested for its chewy appendages, then left to sink to the ocean floor. The grisly practice has come under more scrutiny as appetite for shark fin soup, an expensive delicacy in Chinese cooking, has grown. But on Tuesday, the New York State Senate voted to ban the possession, sale, trade, and distribution of shark fins. The legislation will now attempt swim through the Assembly, then to Governor Cuomo's desk.

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www.hotmexchili.com

As we've chronicled, there is a war going on between the labor union that represents Central Park horse-carriage drivers and animal rights activists who think keeping horses in midtown Manhattan is dangerous and inhumane.

Now the activists are using illegal immigrants as PR ammo against the union.

The Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages sent us an e-mail this morning with the subject line "Illegals in Horse Carriage Trade." In the e-mail, the group outlines how the union employs illegal immigrants, one of whom "foolishly lied about an animal activist, Roxanne Delgado, attacking him at the hack line."

The group says another "illegal" was picked up by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers about six weeks prior. 

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www.extremegraphic99.com

New Yorkers have a lot of things to worry about -- crime, terrorism, etc. We can now add alligators to the list.

For the sixth time in a week, an alligator has been found in New York -- this time on Long Island.

About 1:30 a.m. yesterday, authorities in Shirley found a plastic container with a four-foot alligator inside. As if it needed any explanation, the words "my gator" were written on the lid of the container.

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Horse racing in New York state is about to change thanks to Governor Andrew Cuomo's response to a report from a state commission tasked with reviewing regulations governing the state's horse racing industry.

Cuomo announced this afternoon that the New York Task Force on Racehorse Health and Safety -- a commission appointed at the request of Cuomo to review horse racing regulations -- has submitted its report and a massive number of reforms will be made to keep horses safe at New York racetracks.

The task force reviewed "the circumstances involving the deaths, analyze the causes, and recommend any necessary action to prevent equine breakdowns at NYRA operated facilities. The Task Force was also charged with examining horse claiming rules, veterinary procedures and drug use in order to promote equine safety."

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Looks relaxing, right? Try it with animal rights advocates screaming in your ear and a fat guy yelling "what the fuck are you?"

Carriage rides in Central Park -- while a bit on the cliche side -- are supposed to be romantic strolls through one of New York's most famous landmarks. And nothing quite says "romance" like a fat guy in a baseball cap screaming "who the fuck are you" at animal rights advocates -- which happened last month and was caught on tape.

The ongoing war between Central Park carriage-horse drivers and animal rights advocates currently is at a fever pitch following several assaults on both drivers and advocates. One of the drivers involved in one such incident is Emin Karsavuran, who activists say beat the crap out of a Los Angeles man who was hassling him last month, and is amongst the angriest of all of New York's carriage-horse drivers.

 

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Andrew Grossberg

The man pictured above is Andrew Grossberg, and his face is what happens when you screw with carriage horses -- and their handlers -- in Central Park.

Grossberg says he was attacked last month in Central Park after he and other anti-carriage horse advocates hassled a horse and a carriage driver. Admittedly, Grossberg made comments to the driver and then tried to take a photo of the carriage's license plate.

"The next thing I knew is I was being beaten severely and I could not even stand up to escape from the brutal beating of a deranged horse and carriage driver," he says. "Left for dead on the sidewalk outside of Central Park, I woke up in New York Presbyterian emergency room with a fractured nose (broken in two places), a concussion, a heavy bruise to my jaw, and pain radiating all over my body."

That's his side of the story, anyway.

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NYPD

The man beating this defenseless dog has been identified as 28-year-old Brian Freeman.

We're happy to report that the man who beat a defenseless dog in a Harlem elevator last month has been identified and currently is in police custody.

The alleged dirtbag is 28-year-old Brian Freeman, of the Bronx. Authorities say he was identified after his father-in-law dropped the dog off at an animal shelter last month. After shelter workers noticed the pooch was similar to the dog featured in surveillance footage of the beating released by police last week, they called the cops.

See video of the senseless beating below -- warning: it will make you want to do unspeakable things to Mr. Freeman.

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If you know this creep, call the cops -- there's $7,000 in it for you.

It's been less than 24 hours since the NYPD released video of some creep beating the crap out of a dog in an elevator at a Harlem housing project, and the reward for this scumbag's capture already is up to $7,000.

This morning, the reward for information leading to this asshole's capture was $2,000. However, People for the Ethical Treatments of Animals has added an addition $5,000 to the pot to help bring this coward to justice.

"Animal abusers are cowards," PETA Director Martin Mersereau says. "They take their issues out on the most defenseless beings available to them. New York residents have good reason to be concerned. According to law-enforcement agencies and leading mental-health professionals, perpetrators of violent acts against animals are often repeat offenders who pose a serious threat to all animals--including humans."

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This asshole beat the crap out of a dog -- as the cameras rolled.

It takes a real tough guy to beat the crap out of a defenseless puppy after trapping the little guy in an elevator, which is what some complete shit-bag did at a Harlem housing project last month.

The NYPD released video of the vicious beating, which happened in an elevator at the Wagner Houses on East 120th Street on August 26.

As you can see in the video embedded below, the creep repeatedly kicks and slaps the dog, all as the pooch cowers in an attempt to get away from this piece of human garbage.

(See the video after the jump).

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