The sight of horse-drawn carriages rolling through New York City's Central Park has long been a common sight for locals and tourists alike. However, if the new mayor of the city, Bill de Blasio, has his way, this could soon be a thing of the past.
"We are going to get rid of horse carriages, period," Mayor-elect de Blasio said during a news conference, as quoted by CNN. Local animal rights groups have also expressed their support for this effort.
The politician believes the practice is cruel for the horses, as they are forced to breathe exhaust fumes, brave extreme weather conditions and potentially overwork themselves. He wants to replace the carriages with antique-style electric vehicles, which would be able to shuttle visitors around the area in an environmentally friendly way.
Many issues remain to be sorted out, as a number of drivers are pushing back on the effort. According to AutoBlog, they claim that retiring horses to a life of inactivity would be cruel, and others are hesitant about the cost of vehicle maintenance or auto repair for an electric car.