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Horse carriages in New York City expected to be outlawed
BBC • • nation
Key Points:
- New York City Council plans to ban horse-drawn carriages starting June 2028, with strong support from Mayor Eric Adams, following safety and animal welfare concerns highlighted by a teenager's death in Central Park.
- The proposed legislation, named Romanch's Law after the deceased teenager, will be voted on October 22 and includes provisions for a just transition for carriage workers, such as job placement, training, and financial compensation.
- The bill prohibits selling horses for slaughter or similar purposes and aims to address public safety risks in an increasingly busy Central Park environment.
- While animal welfare advocates and city officials support the ban, some workers' groups, including the Transport Workers Union representing carriage drivers, oppose it, citing good treatment of horses and the industry's economic importance.
- Previous efforts to end the carriage industry date back to 2014 under former Mayor Bill de Blasio, who proposed replacing carriages with vintage electric cars due to concerns over horse treatment.
