N.Y.C. Horse-Drawn Carriage Crash Sparks Renewed Calls for Ban as 2 Operators Are Hospitalized

A horse-drawn carriage collision is resurrecting a telephone to prohibition nan proscription successful N.Y.C.  

On Monday, May 26, 2 horse-drawn carriages rammed into each different successful beforehand of nan 60th Street & East Drive marker successful Central Park successful New York City, hospitalizing nan 2 carriage operators.

According to a connection obtained by PEOPLE from nan New York Police Department, 1 of nan horses was startled and ran westbound towards 5th Avenue. The 2nd equine was besides startled and ran towards nan northbound extremity of 60th Street.

Both carriage operators "sustained insignificant injuries successful an effort to regain power of nan horses," per nan statement. "EMS transported some individuals to area hospitals."

There are nary reports connected whether location were passengers successful nan carriages astatine nan clip of nan incident. According to ABC News, nan horses did not suffer immoderate terrible injuries and were backmost to activity connected nan southbound extremity of Central Park later that evening. 

Though galore metropolis visitors bask horse-drawn carriage rides successful N.Y.C., animal defense groups specified as NYCLASS are citing this incident to support a citywide prohibition connected horse-drawn carriage rides.

Animal Legal Defense Fund, an statement that intends to enforce stronger anti-cruelty laws and nan humane curen of animals, has besides led calls to extremity nan usage of horses successful tourism work.

In 2022, nan statement petitioned to prohibition horse-drawn carriages successful N.Y.C. aft an aged equine named Ryder collapsed successful nan thoroughfare owed to nan overwhelming summertime heat. An unnerving video of nan incident quickly circulated, starring nan Animal League Defense Fund to nonstop a petition and letter to nan New York City Council. 

“Tragic outcomes for horses haunt New York City’s history, arsenic good arsenic different cities crossed nan country,” publication nan letter. “Horses, carriage passengers, pedestrians, cyclists, and others are put astatine consequence by this sadistic and reckless industry. We say: No more.” 

Along pinch hundreds of others, nan petition was besides signed by notable names including  Billie Eilish, her relative Finneas, Kaley Cuoco, Noah Cyrus, Joan Jett, Kesha, Joaquin Phoenix, Sarah Silverman, Christian Siriano, Hilary Swank, Justin Theroux, and Marisa Tomei.

Just 2 months aft his collapse, Ryder died. He was astir 30 years old.

"We are devastated to study that Ryder has died. His horrific collapse, aft years of abuse, inspired tens of thousands of group from crossed nan globe to guidelines up to carriage equine manufacture cruelty," said Edita Birnkrant, executive head of New Yorkers for Clean, Livable, and Safe Streets, astatine nan time.

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"But make nary mistake: this calamity was not caused by an enactment of God — Ryder's decease was nan consequence of ferocious cruelty and greed. To make a profit, nan equine carriage manufacture would person virtually worked Ryder to decease if it weren't for viral videos and nan group who exposed their endless lies and cover-ups. Their mistreatment of Ryder is nan logic he is dormant 2 months later."