NEW YORK—The ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animal®) and NYCLASS (New Yorkers for Clean, Livable and Safe Streets) today issued the following statement after learning that the New York City Council will pass Intro. 35, which would result in a fare increase for drivers.
"The ASPCA does not support Intro. 35 in its current version," said Ed Sayres, President and CEO of the ASPCA. "We are disappointed that the City Council did not include the amendments we submitted this session, which would have improved the living and working conditions for the City's carriage horses. Passage of this bill conferring a fare increase without more provisions that favor the horses and offer improved safety for the drivers and passengers may eliminate the opportunity for securing such improvements, since the industry's motivation to bargain in good faith will evaporate once it has achieved its principal goal—increased financial benefit for the drivers and owners."
The ASPCA, alongside NYCLASS, submitted amendments to Intro. 35, which would have put it more in line with proposed regulation changes that were being considered by the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH). Amendments were proposed that would have made a difference in the lives of horses and improved human safety—none of which are contained in Intro. 35—including: requiring that stables are equipped with operational sprinkler systems, mandating that all carriage horse drivers have valid New York State driver's licenses, and restricting the use of cell phones and other distracting devices that interfere with the driver's ability to safely operate the carriage and handle the carriage horse.
"Intro. 35 fails to address serious quality of life issues, improve human and equine safety conditions, or enhance the integrity of the horse carriage industry. Unfortunately, all this bill does is reward bad behavior – the horse carriage industry's countless violation of laws and regulations, the overcharging of customers, and the inhumane treatment of the horses. It is for these reasons that NYCLASS opposes Intro. 35," noted NYCLASS Executive Director Laura Eldridge.
The ASPCA and NYCLASS support Intro. 86, Councilmember Melissa Mark-Viverito's legislation to phase out carriage horses in New York City, replacing horse drawn carriages with environmentally-friendly horseless carriages.
"The legacy of responsibility to the plight of horses working in an urban environment is one the ASPCA continues to take extremely seriously to this day," said Sayres. "We will continue to work for change to improve the health, welfare, and safety of these noble animals."

# # #

About the ASPCA®
Founded in 1866, the ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) is the first humane organization established in the Americas and serves as the nation’s leading voice for animal welfare. One million supporters strong, the ASPCA’s mission is to provide effective means for the prevention of cruelty to animals throughout the United States. As a 501 [c] [3] not-for-profit corporation, the ASPCA is a national leader in the areas of anti-cruelty, community outreach and animal health services. The ASPCA, which is headquartered in New York City, offers a wide range of programs, including a mobile clinic outreach initiative, its own humane law enforcement team, and a groundbreaking veterinary forensics team and mobile animal CSI unit. For more information, please visit www.aspca.org.

About NYCLASS™
New Yorkers for Clean, Livable and Safe Streets™ is a 501(c)(4) non-profit organization dedicated to improving New York City’s quality of life through education and advocacy. As New York has evolved in the 110 years since the five boroughs united, the issues facing our citizens have also changed. We believe that the challenges facing New York in the 21st century demand a fresh approach to the way city government operates, rather than a stale reliance on existing orthodoxies. NYCLASS researches public policy issues and offers sensible solutions to the critical needs of New York City in the 21st century, such as reducing traffic, improving sanitation, and protecting workers. NYCLASS seeks to improve the city’s civic fabric and raise the level of public discourse on these issues by building public support for our initiatives. For more information, please visit www.ny-class.org.