After promising to end the city’s controversial horse carriage industry during his electoral race, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has announced that the horses will be retired this year, providing a welcome timeline and a clear victory for animal advocates who’ve worked on the issue for years.

Animal-rights activists took a NYCLASS trip to Albany Wednesday, marking the rollout of an effort by the group -- best known for fighting the city's horse-carriage industry -- to increase the size of its political footprint.

Editorial: It’s time to ban horse-drawn carriages in New York City.

What do P!nk, Kathy Najimy, Peter Dinklage, Wendy Williams, Alicia Silverstone, Dave Navarro, Lea Michele, and Pamela Anderson have in common?

The carriage horse industry is making one final last ditch effort to keep their inhumane industry by spreading desperate lies to the media. It won't work, but only if we band together once again and let NYC City Council know how LOUD and STRONG our humane voter hoof power is!

Go here to send a letter to your City Council member RIGHT NOW >>

We know how abusive the carriage industry has been, and that's why we cannot stop pushing the City Council now. We cannot afford to sit on the sidelines now -- we're so close to winning this.

BY MATTHEW WITTMAN / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2014, 4:35 AM

The arrival this week of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus at Barclays Center has prompted a renewed push by animal welfare advocates for the city to ban wild or exotic animals like elephants and lions in public entertainments.

BY ERIN DURKIN / DAILY NEWS CITY HALL BUREAU

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2014, 9:03 PM

The circus is coming to town — and some advocates want it to be for the last time.

NYCLASS, the animal rights group that’s been the key player in pushing for a ban on Central Park horse carriages, says it also wants the city to bar the use of animals in circuses — one item on an expanded agenda it plans to pursue this year.

“This is another example of the type of cruelty that has no place in New York City,” said Allie Feldman, the group’s executive director.

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 >>