Victory for NYC Carriage Horses! Now Protect Their Future

The horses have waited long enough. After years of suffering and years of public pressure, New York City has finally voted to end its horse-drawn carriage industry. Now it's time to make sure every horse gets the future they deserve.

This victory is worth celebrating — and advocates like you helped make it happen.

The New York City Council passed landmark legislation this week to phase out horse-drawn carriages by June 2028. After years of petitions, protests, and demands for change, the end of this industry is finally in sight.

For too long, horses have been forced to haul tourists through crowded Manhattan streets, surrounded by honking cars, dangerous traffic, and extreme weather. These intelligent, sensitive animals deserved better.

In 2022, the world watched as Ryder, an elderly carriage horse, collapsed on a Manhattan street. He later died, becoming a heartbreaking symbol of an industry that treated horses as tourist attractions instead of living beings.

Then, in June 2026, an 18-year-old tourist died following a Central Park carriage accident — another devastating reminder of the dangers.

Now, legislation named in his honor will finally bring horse-drawn carriage operations to an end.

Importantly, the legislation also provides for workers whose livelihoods depend on the carriage industry. It requires the city to establish a workforce development program to help carriage drivers and other employees transition to new jobs. Ending the exploitation of horses doesn't have to mean leaving workers behind.

But here's the next challenge: What happens to the horses?

The new legislation prohibits carriage horses from being sold or transferred for slaughter or sent to another carriage business. That's an important start. But simply shutting down the industry isn't enough.

These horses have already given years of their lives to human entertainment. They shouldn't face an uncertain future when their working days end.

They deserve veterinary care, responsible placement, and safe, humane retirements — not abandonment, neglect, or another lifetime of exploitation.

New York City has taken a historic step. Now its leaders must follow through and make sure the horses themselves benefit from this victory.

Please sign the petition thanking New York City's leaders for ending horse-drawn carriages and urging them to protect every horse as the industry closes.

The petition to Mayor Zohran Mamdani and the New York City Council reads: Thank you for taking historic action to end New York City's horse-drawn carriage industry. This victory reflects years of advocacy for animals who deserve better than pulling tourists through dangerous city streets. We urge you to fully implement the law, enforce its protections against slaughter and transfer to other carriage businesses, and ensure every affected horse receives humane treatment, appropriate veterinary care, and safe, responsible retirement or placement.

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Source:

https://aldf.org/project/romanchs-law/