Liam Neeson Takes On De Blasio Over Horse-Drawn Carriages
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- Actor Liam Neeson says he's "a little bit pissed off" at Mayor Bill de Blasio for wanting to shut down the horse-drawn carriage industry in New York City.
The "Non-Stop" star made the comment during a Wednesday appearance on "The Daily Show." The actor complained to host Jon Stewart that critics have put out false information about how the horses are treated. He says the carriage drivers treat the horses like their own children.
De Blasio has declared his intention to shut down the industry, saying it's inhumane to keep horses in modern-day Manhattan. The Democrat wants to replace them with electric cars.
Carriage drivers say shutting down the stables would have the unintended effect of eliminating a rare outlet for surplus horses, which means they'll be sent to the slaughterhouse faster.
Operators also say banning the horses will cost the city jobs and deprive New York of one of its iconic industries.
"The horse carriage industry, they made the roads in New York," Neeson said.
While Stewart said he hoped the two sides could work out a solution, he seemed to support de Blasio's stand.
"Quite frankly, from my perspective, it does not seem to be ... a particularly fulfilling life for an animal," the late-night funnyman said.
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