Mayor Bill de Blasio recently presented a plan to ban #horse-drawn carriages, an action that has led to an outpouring of discussion about whether or not the #carriages are a treasured tradition or a burden on the #animals in service.
The Humane Society of the United States supports the mayor's plan, and we call on the New York City Council to support his effort — and to reject the obstructionist tactics and phony arguments of the so-called Alliance for Truth.
The idea of banning the #horse-drawn #carriages — which are not used for point-to-point travel, but for sight-seeing in and around Central Park — has long been backed by the major #animal welfare groups, including The HSUS and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), which have voluntarily spent considerable resources in an attempt to oversee street and stable conditions for the #horses.
And, there have been dozens of documented accidents resulting in injuries and deaths of New York City's #carriage #horses through the years: #Horses may be easily spooked by vehicles or other loud noises and put themselves and others at risk by dashing into traffic.
The HSUS will continue to work with New Yorkers for Clean, Livable and Safe Streets (NYCLASS) to pass Int. 86a, legislation that would phase out #horse carriages and replace them with eco-friendly antique replica cars. Passage of the law would also bolster the local tourist economy by giving current carriage drivers the opportunity to drive electric, antique, replica "Horseless Carriages" — a win-win solution that protects both jobs and the safety and welfare of #horses and people in New York City. Other great global cities do without horse-drawn carriages, including Beijing, London and Paris.
