BY ERIN DURKIN / DAILY NEWS CITY HALL BUREAU

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2014, 12:03 AM

The man who spearheaded the drive to ban horse-drawn carriages is a polarizing figure — lionized by animal rights activists and damned by carriage drivers as Public Enemy Number One.

Steve Nislick, a 70-year-old parking garage magnate who loves horses, is an unlikely activist. But his organization, New Yorkers for Clean, Livable and Safe Streets (NYCLASS), is now a political player and is branching out to advocate on issues ranging from installing sprinklers in pet stores to banning foie gras.

Tuesday was the first day that the New York City Council met to vote on legislation — and do you know what their very first move was? To unanimously override ex-Mayor Bloomberg’s veto of the city-wide registry for animal abusers! This is a step forward towards a more humane NYC.

The law will require any person convicted of animal abuse to be listed on the registry, and prohibits them from adopting or purchasing pets in the future. This victory demonstrates that it's a new day for our City Council Members.  

What a difference an election makes for animals! Go here to thank your City Council Member for passing the animal abuse registry >>

Elect a humane Mayor of New York City. Check!

Elect a humane Speaker of the New York City Council. Check!

Shift the overall balance of the NYC Council. Check!

That’s what we’ve accomplished so far — but there’s one big item left to finally end the inhumane carriage horse industry in NYC: pass the bill! Sign our petition demanding the City Council pass a bill to end the carriage horse industry for good >>

To All NYCLASS Friends and Supporters:

As we begin 2014, we can look back at 2013 as a watershed year in the animal rights movement…thanks to all of you! 

BY ERIN DURKIN / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 15, 2014, 2:30 AM

Horse carriage drivers scrambling to stop the city from banning their industry have teamed up with a St. Louis-based consulting firm that bills itself as fighting “radical animal rights extremists.”

The Cavalry Group, a lobbying and advocacy organization, has launched a social media campaign targeting Mayor de Blasio for supporting legislation to outlaw the Central Park carriage rides.

“They used to hang horse thieves. Now they elect them mayor!” read one tweet from the group.

Congratulations to Melissa Mark-Viverito -- a true animal rights hero -- on her election as New York City Council Speaker.  

We are thrilled that the Brooklyn delegation, led by Chairman Frank Seddio, is joining the progressive bloc in supporting Melissa Mark-Viverito as New York City's next Council Speaker. Ms. Mark-Viverito has fought for animal rights throughout her time on the Council and was a prime sponsor of legislation that would phase out horse-drawn carriages in New York City, replacing them with vintage electric cars. She is a true animal hero, and we look forward to working with Speaker Mark-Viverito and Mayor de Blasio as we move toward a humane and vibrant future for all New Yorkers -- two-legged and four-legged alike.

A few weeks back, Mayor-elect Bill de Blasio tore the house down with his speech about retiring the inhumane carriage horse industry at NYCLASS' Animal Hero Awards event. But it’s this line in particular I keep thinking about:

Sorry to email you so late at night, but I wanted to make sure you know about a really cool event happening on Tuesday -- a chance to get a head start on your holiday shopping and help out NYC's animals at the same time! 

One year ago, almost no one believed it was possible.

We were mocked. We were ridiculed. We were written off as crazy cat ladies.