FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 13, 2023

TERRIFIED CARRIAGE HORSE SPOOKS, PASSENGERS JUMP OUT OF CARRIAGE AS DRIVER HEADS INTO MIDTOWN TRAFFIC

NYCLASS Calls For Investigation Of Unwell Horse That Is In Danger Of Crashing Into Vehicles 

NEW YORK – On Friday, February 10, just before 5pm, NYCLASS witnessed an out-of-control carriage horse in distress, sweating, and displaying fear behaviors in Central Park. Despite pleas to his handlers to get the horse help, the driver started a ride with the horse that was clearly in an emergency state, endangering the safety and lives of both the animal, the passengers, and potential bystanders.

Only moments later, as our video shows, the horse spooked so badly that the two passengers had to jump out of the carriage and escape, while the driver took off at a fast pace yelling that the horse was "in training." 

A separate witness saw this same horse that day, in traffic, and said, "It was a busy 4-lane intersection on Central Park South, the horse was clearly spooked by all the traffic coming from both directions and balked at a street bike doing wheelies past it. He was covered in foamy sweat, likely from  being overworked, or both. It was literally an accident waiting to happen. Why on Earth do we need horses pulling carriages in the middle of 50 vehicles?”

Edita Birnkrant, Executive Director of NYCLASS, said, "I witnessed a terrified horse in an emergency state, being forced to give rides by a driver who was putting the animal, the passengers, and everyone in Midtown in serious risk. Despite several pleas to get help for the horse, the driver started a ride, which ended in the horse spooking so badly that the passengers had to jump out of the carriage. To my utter shock, instead of pulling over and calling a veterinarian - or at least a trailer to bring the horse back to the stable - the driver took off at a fast pace with the terrified horse into Midtown traffic. This horse needs an immediate veterinary examination and must be taken off the streets. Too often, horses ‘spook’ and crash into vehicles in New York City - and this horse is a tragedy waiting to happen. To make matters worse, the carriage license plate on the carriage is completely illegible, as our video shows - an ongoing problem within an industry that regularly breaks rules and violates laws. Enough is enough. The City Council needs to urgently pass Intro 573 (Ryder's Law) to end the constant dangers the horse carriage industry creates every day."

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