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Death of horse named Lady sparks renewed calls for ban on carriages in New York City
The death of a 15-year-old carriage horse named Lady on Tuesday has led to renewed calls to ban carriages in New York City.
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The death of a carriage horse at a Manhattan intersection on Tuesday afternoon has prompted debate about a ban on horse-drawn carriages in New York City, ABC 7 reported. The horse, a 15-year-old mare named Lady, had been working in New York for less than two months when she collapsed on Tuesday afternoon.
She was found unresponsive at 11th Avenue and West 51st Street by police officers responding to a 9-1-1 call around 2:30 pm local time. Lady was pronounced dead after she was brought to a stable in Hell’s Kitchen. Lady’s death is being looked into by Cornell University and the city's Department of Health. A preliminary report is expected soon, per the outlet.
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Death prompts debate on horse carriage ban
Lady’s death comes three years after the high-profile death of Ryder, a carriage horse who collapsed close to Times Square on a hot summer day. Just two weeks earlier, a Manhattan jury acquitted Ryder’s driver, Ian McKeever, of an animal cruelty charge related to the horse’s collapse.
Lady’s death has led to a fierce debate on whether horse-drawn carriages should continue in New York City. On Wednesday, August 6, lawmakers and animal rights advocates gathered outside the stable where almost 90 Central Park horses live, demanding that the City Council pass Ryder's Law.
Introduced by Council member Robert Holden, Ryder's Law aims to phase out horse-drawn carriages in New York by 2026. It would offer owners compensation to retire their horses as well, per New York Times.
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Horse carriage ban: What do advocates say?
Robert Holden stated that the city was working the horses “to death,” per ABC 7. NYCLASS Executive Director Edita Birnkrant told the outlet that major cities such as London, Paris and Chicago had already moved away from horse-drawn carriages, adding that the majority of New Yorkers also “want it shut down.”
In a statement to the NYT, Brinkrant accused the Transport Workers Union, which represents carriage drivers, and city officials, of colluding to harm the almost 200 horses that carry passengers around Central Park. “Our city is protecting the abuse of animals instead of protecting the animals from abuse,” Birnkrant said.
FAQs:
1. Why did the horse die in Manhattan?
Her cause of death has not been determined yet.
2. What is Ryder’s Law?
It is a bill named after a horse that passed away in 2022 after collapsing near Times Square. The bill aims to phase out horse-drawn carriages in New York.
3. Is Lady’s death being investigated?
Yes, a probe is being held to determine the cause of death.
