Horse-drawn carriages in Central Park face potential retirement
In the heart of New York City, the debate over horse-drawn carriages continues to rage on. This traditional mode of transportation, a custodian of the city's cultural heritage, has been a topic of contention for many years.
The summer season of 2022 saw several incidents of danger and cruelty in the carriage industry, according to PETA's Ashley Byrne. These incidents have reignited calls for a ban on the carriages, with animal rights campaign group PETA and NYCLASS, a group advocating against the carriages, leading the charge.
However, the carriage drivers argue that the horses are well-cared for and provide a necessary service. Christina Hansen, a carriage driver, asserts that the carriages provide good work for about 200 horses, which receive comprehensive veterinary care and are highly regulated.
Mayor Eric Adams has recently entered the fray, calling on the city council to rein in the practice of tourist carriages. Adams also hardened animal welfare and safety checks with an order, and signed an order allowing for the voluntary surrender of carriage licenses. This move could potentially re-employ the 170 people involved in the carriage trade.
The Central Park Conservancy, which manages the US's most visited urban park, has thrown its weight behind the calls for a ban on the carriages. The Conservancy's chief executive, Elizabeth W. Smith, has written to city leaders advocating for a ban due to public health and safety concerns with the increasing visitation to the Park.
The union representing carriage drivers, however, claims that developers want to vacate the carriage stables to build skyscrapers and accuses Mayor Adams of betraying working class New Yorkers.
The issue of horse-drawn carriages in New York City is not a new one. In 2007, a democratic city councilor unsuccessfully sought a ban on the carriages but failed to gain support from then-mayor Michael Bloomberg. Bill de Blasio, a former mayor, campaigned on a ban but only managed to regulate the industry instead of banning it.
A survey conducted in 2022 found that 71 percent of New York voters were against the carriages. Councillor Robert Holden has proposed legislation to phase out the carriages, which he believes can be adopted by the city council.
As New York goes to the polls on November 4, the window for Mayor Adams to abolish the carriages is closing. Polling suggests the sitting mayor is unlikely to clear the final fence. The future of the horse-drawn carriages in New York City remains uncertain, with the debate continuing to divide the city's residents and visitors.
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