The image of horse carriages giving wintry rides through Central Park is New York hallmark to some, but to others, it represents the mistreatment and exploitation of the horses.
Tony Avella hopes his fellow City Council members will feel the same way as he makes a case Friday to ban horse-drawn carriages in New York City, according to the NY Post.
Avella will be joined by animal-rights activists as they testify about alleged inhumane treatment of carriage horses. There have been seven incidents since 2007 involving horses, including three deaths, Avella said.
The owner of Shamrock Stables on West 45th Street thinks the Queens Democrat is overreacting.
"He has absolutely no clue about our business," Colm McKeever to the Post.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Council Speaker Christine Quinn opposed a similar bill in 2007 because of its possible impact on the tourist industry.
"The industry is safe and reliable and it's popular," said Carolyn Daly, a spokeswoman for the Horse & Carriage Association of New York told the Post.
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"He should not be trying to eliminate jobs during a time when there is a serious economic crisis and thousands of people are out of work."
