Forcing horses to prance around in the chaotic traffic in New York City for tourists to enjoy is dangerous and cruel. For years, animal lovers in New York have been devastated to learn about an ongoing pattern of horses enduring collisions, becoming injured, and even dying - just to satisfy the demands of greedy humans.
Now, we've learned about
yet another incident, this time involving an overturned carriage.
Sign the petition to finally phase out horse-drawn carriages in New York City!On May 18, 2026, conditions outside were nasty - the government had implemented both a heat advisory and air quality alert. Yet two horses named Otis and Troy were still forced to take passengers through the busy area of Central Park and West 59th Street.
Troy, pulling his own carriage, became startled and spooked - and crashed right into Otis and his carriage. By the end of the collision, one of the carriages was on the ground and had flipped over.
One of the carriage drivers had to be rushed to the hospital afterwards. Even though both horses have been deemed healthy and safe after the incident, this still should never have happened - and it could have been avoided.
Animal lovers in New York City have been pushing the local government to pass Ryder's Law for years. The bill is named after a carriage horse who collapsed and could not get back up during a severe summer heat wave in the city several years ago. If passed, it would gradually ban horse-drawn carriages in the city, help rehome horses currently in use, and even help carriage drivers find new work. But this bill has been stuck in the legislature for years.
It's time to finally pass Ryder's Law! A busy city filled with intense noise, fast-moving vehicles, severe weather, and unpredictable commotion is no place for horse-drawn carriages. Let's help keep humans and animals alike safe by ending this horrible tradition. Sign the petition!