Avella Wants de Blasio, Lhota to Keep Horse-Drawn Carriage Pledge If Elected

State Sen. Tony Avella, D-Bayside, is calling on mayoral candidates Bill de Blasio and Joe Lhota to stick to a pledge to ban horse-drawn carriages if elected.

Avella, who has long been an opponent of the city’s horse-drawn carriage industry, said that an accident on Friday involving a frightened horse and a vehicle on 8th Avenue near 58th Street in Manhattan was an example of why he believed the carriages should be prohibited.

“Enough is enough,” the senator said. “How many more accidents, injuries and deaths is it going to take before we end this inhumane industry? This latest accident serves as a prime example that horses are easily excited by everyday occurrences in life. It is absolutely clear that the time has come to ban horse-drawn cabs in the city of New York.”

Avella said that both de Blasio, a Democrat, and Lhota, a Republican, have pledged to ban horse-drawn carriages if elected.

The senator has introduced legislation that would prohibit the operation of the carriages in the city and mandate the humane relocation of horses released from service.