Lea Michele's Next Rescue Mission: Carriage Horses

The Glee star speaks out on behalf of New York City's horses

“Growing up, I was the little girl who always wanted to save the animals,” writes Lea Michele in a letter to the readers of Alicia Silverstone’s The Kind Life website. “I even would ask my mom to buy me stuffed animals that looked sad because I felt bad for them.”

The Glee star, already a vocal supporter of animals (and even a rescuer), took to The Kind Life to talk about one of her greatest concerns, the carriage horses of New York City.

“My biggest trouble these days are the poor horses in Central Park,” she writes. “They walk in the rain, snow, and heat, pulling people all day long, rarely getting proper food, water or care.”

Horse-drawn carriages are a popular tourist attraction for visitors to New York, where Michele lives, but the horses’ working conditions have been criticized by activists and politicians, who have recently sought legislation to ban them altogether.

“Sometimes I wish I could just go and set them free on some sunny field somewhere where they could just roam free and run around all day,” Michele continues. “I know that sounds cheesy but if you saw them, trust me, you would want to do the same.”

Read more about Lea Michele on PEOPLEPets.com:
Lea Michele’s Secret Side Gig? Animal Rescue!
‘Glee’ Stars Have Lea Michele to Thank for Their Pets