City Councilman lends support to keeping horse-drawn carriages in Central Park
NEW YORK (WABC) -- Supporters of keeping horse-drawn carriages in Central Park received a new ally Wednesday.
City Councilman Rafael Espinal, a Democrat from Brooklyn, announced that he opposes ending their run in the city.
But Mayor de Blasio is still pushing for a way to ban the carriages.
Stephen Malone is passionate about the horses he's been driving through the streets of New York City for 27 years, and his father did so before him.
So he was proud to have stood alongside Espinal outside City Hall as he backed the industry.
"I am standing here today because I would like to announce that I will not be supporting a ban on the horse-drawn carriage industry," Espinal said.
It's significant that Espinal is speaking out, because he is the chairman of the city's Consumer Affairs Committee, which oversees the industry.
"I've done my research, and these horses are being trained with some of the best veterinary care in the country, so from my point, I don't see a danger to the horses," Espinal said.
But animal rights supporters see it differently. They say the animals are mistreated and poorly housed.
"I don't know what he's thinking at this time, and I don't know how any council member who is elected to represent all people, two-legged and four-legged, would come to the defense of this disgusting, abusive carriage horse industry," said Allie Feldman of NYCLASS.
Banning the industry is something Mayor de Blasio campaigned on. He's suggested offering job training for the 300 drivers who would be out of work.
But there are more than just drivers who are affected.
"When you factor in stablehands, veterinarians, feed, it's endless. And then you have to couple it with tradition and legacy that people have," said Malone.
So far no one has proposed legislation banning the industry and that, according to the drivers and owners, is a promising sign.
And for now, the horses will continue stepping out as they have for more than a century.
