Carriage Horse Phase-Out Bill Introduced in New York City

On Wednesday, New York City Councilmember Melissa Mark-Viverito (District 8) introduced Intro. 86 related to the operation of horse-drawn carriages. The bill, supported by the ASPCA and our partners New Yorkers for Clean, Livable & Safe Streets (NY-CLASS), proposes a gradual phase-out of the city’s carriage horse industry.

Like taxi drivers, carriage horse operators must have a special license issued by the city. If passed, Intro. 86 would direct that as these licenses expire, they be replaced by licenses to operate hybrid-electric replicas of classic cars. Furthermore, no new carriage horse licenses would be issued after 2010, completing the phase-out by mid-2012. NY-CLASS and the ASPCA believe that elegant, “green” vintage cars are a humane alternative to carriage horses—they will enhance the city’s beauty, create a cleaner environment and won’t take jobs away from drivers.

As the primary enforcer of New York City’s carriage horse laws—with firsthand knowledge of ongoing problems and violations—the ASPCA has concluded that neither our city’s environment nor the current law can provide horses with the fundamental necessities to ensure their safety and well-being. To learn about legislation that supports animals in your community, join our online Advocacy Brigade, a free service that allows you to take action for animals right from your computer.