Pols push to trunk-ate cruelty

As debate rages over Mayor de Blasio’s plan to ban horse carriages, state lawmakers are pushing measures in 2015 to crack down on alleged cruelty against circus elephants and other animals.

One proposed elephant-protection law, sponsored by state Sen. Brad Hoylman (DManhattan), is aimed at Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, which will perform at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn from Feb. 19 to March 1.

The Hoylman bill would ban the use of whips, electricshock devices, bull hooks, chains or “inserting any instrument into any bodily orifice” of an elephant. Violation would be a Class E Felony subject to jailing.

“It’s important to send a message that New York is not going to tolerate mistreatment of this magnificent creature,” Hoylman told The Post.

Another bill would create a new crime called “animal cruelty in the presence of a child.” The measure, authored by Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal (DManhattan), would make that a Class D Felony.

“Adults who commit acts of animal cruelty in the presence of a child inflict psychological damage,’’ Rosenthal said.

Ringling Bros. slammed the Hoylman bill.

“On its face this appears to be just another attempt by animalrights activists to pass an anticircus, antizoo, antielephant bill under the guise of animal protection,” said Stephen Payne, spokesman for Ringling’s parent company, Feld Entertainment.

“What the bill does not recognize is bull hooks . . . are the most humane and accepted elephanthusbandry tool.”

Carl Campanile