Move to ban NYC horse-drawn carriages

NEW YORK, Jan. 29 (UPI) -- A New York city councilman wants to ban the famous horse-drawn carriages that take tourists around Central Park.

Tony Ayella, a Democrat from Queens, has scheduled a hearing Friday, the New York Post reports. He supports animal rights activists who say the horses are subjected to terrible conditions while they are working and when they are in their stables.

Ayella said horses have been involved in at least seven accidents in the past 18 months. At least three horses have been killed and several people have been injured in the accidents, he said.

"That's only counting the incidents we know about," he said.

Ayella introduced similar legislation in 2007 after a horse was killed in a collision with a car. That bill was opposed by Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Christine Quinn, the council speaker, who said the horses draw tourists, the newspaper reported.

Councilman James Gennaro, also a Queens Democrat, said he expects Ayella's new bill to die as well. Gennaro said legislating better conditions for the horses, including watering requirements and hitching posts, would be a better move.