NEW YORK (PIX11) – Should the horse-drawn carriage industry in New York City come to an end?
That is what some city council members believe, but the city is seeking New Yorkers’ input.
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On Wednesday, the New York City Council Health Committee will hold a public hearing on Intro 943, introduced by Councilmember Christopher Marte. Marte’s bill essentially aims to phase out the horse-drawn carriage industry in New York City by summer 2028.
This bill would also require the city to run a workforce program for drivers and other workers to help them find other jobs.
Intro 943
“This bill would wind down the horse-drawn cab industry by prohibiting the issuance of new licenses used in the operation of horse-drawn cabs,” reads the New York City Legislation website. ” The operation of such cabs would be prohibited beginning June 1, 2028. This bill would require humane disposition of carriage horses, prohibiting their sale or transfer for the purposes of slaughter or use in another horse-drawn cab business”.
The bill is currently co-sponsored by more than a dozen other council members and has the backing of Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal.
Marte and Brad Hoylman-Sigal were not immediately available to comment on the bill.
Bill support
The bill is being heavily supported by animal rights groups such as Friends of Animals, Voters For Animal Rights, and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.
The bill also has a dedicated Reddit post encouraging New Yorkers to reach out to their representatives in support of the bill. The Reddit posting has over 4,000 likes and hundreds of comments.
Public comment
Public comment for Intro 943 is being held by the Committee on Health on Wednesday at 10 a.m. at Council Chambers.
New Yorkers interested in having their voices heard on this topic, whether in support of ending or keeping the horse-drawn carriage industry in New York City, can register to testify at the following link. New Yorkers can also show up to City Hall to testify in person.
PIX11 News reached out to the TWU Local 100, the union that represents hundreds of horse-drawn carriage drivers and owners. They pointed to a fight-back ad against the bill. The ad can be seen here.
Matthew Euzarraga is a multimedia journalist from El Paso, Texas. He has covered local news and LGBTQIA topics in the New York City Metro area since 2021. He joined the PIX11 Digital team in 2023. You can see more of his work here.
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