New York, December 30: It will no longer be a dog’s life for the horses in New York’s Central Park.
New rules proposed today by the city’s Health Department would guarantee the hard-working buggy-pullers five weeks of vacation a year, no work after 3am and nostrils that no longer have to endure second hand smoke.
In what amounts to the city’s first outdoor-smoking ban, the carriage drivers and their passengers would no longer be allowed to light up under regulations that could take effect as early as March.
“Just like cabdrivers, they shouldn’t be smoking,” declared Daniel Kass, the Health Department’s acting assistant commissioner for environmental health.
He said the new rules were drawn up in response to findings by an advisory board that studied “best practices” and included both animal advocates and members of the horse-rental industry.
Horse drivers may soon face the same restrictions as cabbies: no cell phones, no texting, no music players and no cameras.
Kass said the advisory board suggested horses get two months off every year, but the Health Department ultimately settled on five weeks.
“Operators are invited to give them more,” he said.
Carolyn Daly, a spokeswoman for the horse-carriage industry, said that wouldn’t be a burden to most owners, who already give their animals long breaks at nearby farms.
Kuddusi Demir, 28, one of the Central Park drivers, also endorsed the idea.
“Five weeks vacation is good. I need vacation, too,” he said.
A public hearing on the new rules is scheduled for February 3.
—Agencies