It is time to outlaw horse-drawn carriages in New York?
It is time to outlaw horse-drawn carriages in New York?
02:56
New York City Mayor Eric Adams is calling on the City Council to ban carriage horses.
Adams is also issuing an executive order to strengthen oversight of the longstanding, and controversial, industry.
The battle over the use of horse carriages in New York City has gone on for decades. He’s asking the City Council to pass Ryder’s Law, named after the horse that collapsed in city streets. Ryder died several months later.
“It’s the humane thing to do”
“We are announcing here in Central Park that we have started taking the steps to ban the horse carriage industry in the city of New York. We think it’s important, and it’s the humane thing to do. We saw so many incidents where horses were running free, horses died on the street. We’re better than that as a city,” Adams said in a message on social media. “We want to be fair to the drivers and using several ways of incentivizing them moving away from the horse carriage industry.”
The law would phase out horse-drawn carriages and replace them with electric alternatives.
Adams said the carriages raise issues of safety for the horses, pedestrians and drivers.
His executive order would strengthen oversight of the industry and identify potential employment opportunities for horse carriage operators.
Ryder’s Law hasn’t moved in the City Council, so it’s not immediately clear where this will go from here.
Carriage drivers have long maintained their horses are well cared for.
The drivers are represented by the Transport Workers Union. A spokesman said they feel betrayed.
Check back soon for more on this developing story.