The horse carriage industry is an iconic part of New York City.
The industry is a vital part of the lifeblood of Central Park and its surrounding area. Polls show that tourists and residents alike look forward to the carriage rides every day.
While there have been grumblings outside the City Council calling for a ban on horse carriages throughout the city and around Central Park due to concerns for animal rights, we must remain cognizant of the facts.
The facts are that the carriages horses are well-cared for. I have been to the stables on five occasions to see their conditions for myself. I have seen animals with plenty of water, room to move, more than adequate food availability and conditions overall that show genuine love.
People ignore that there is a strong bond between the driver and the horse. Many of those who say otherwise have not visited the stables. I encourage everyone reading these words to go see for themselves the treatment the horses receive.
There has never been an animal cruelty conviction in the history of the industry.
There are those who say horses are not meant to work. I can say with confidence that carriage horses are bred to do this type of work. For decades horses have been helping the NYPD fight crime with no serious opposition from animal-rights advocates.
Other animals, such as seeing-eye dogs and police dogs, are also put to work by humans. Therefore, it stands to reason that we should not shy away from letting animals work as carriage horses.
The Council had made sure that this industry is well-regulated and that stable conditions are humane, most recently with legislation in 2010. The legislation mandates five weeks of vacation for horses, limits on the number of hours worked per day and limits on the number of days worked per year.
Carriage horses do not work if the outdoor temperature is below 18 degrees or above 90 degrees. The horses do not work if they are sick and they receive personal care to help them recover.
To throw 350 families on the street and to blame it on animal rights protection is unconscionable to me as a progressive and a human being.
From an economic perspective, horse carriage driving is a viable and sought-after industry. I cannot justify leaving the carriage drivers and their families with no jobs or viable source of income.
The so-called electric car replacement is not the realistic or viable alternative it has been made out to be. The Central Park Conservancy has rejected the substitution of cars for horses in the park.
Where would these cars then go? I cannot justify killing an entire industry during a time of slow economic growth and lying to ourselves that the electric cars are a real alternative.
To mandate that the drivers must change careers or industries is out of step with the democratic ideals of New York City.
I am proud to consider myself a progressive. I believe the government should work on behalf of the common person and to give those struggling a step up on the economic ladder. It is the duty of our government to ensure that we can all get a strong foundation and begin to build our own dreams.
We must foster the dreams and careers of all New Yorkers, including horse carriage drivers.
There has been no legislation regarding the horse carriage industry introduced so far during this session, so I urge my Council colleagues to let it stay that way.
Costa Constantinides
Councilman
(D-Astoria)
