Environment

NYC Council Votes to Ban Horse Carriages by 2028

Is banning horse carriages overdue mercy for abused animals or a property grab that destroys 200 working-class livelihoods?

3 days ago·Updated 2 hours ago

NYC Council Votes to Ban Horse Carriages by 2028

Story

Above: Horse-drawn carriages seen near Central Park on in New York on Oct. 22. Image credit: Selcuk Acar/Anadolu/Getty Images

The Facts

The New York City Council voted 40-7 Thursday, with two abstentions, to ban horse-drawn carriages from city streets and Central Park from June 2028, ending an industry that animal-rights activists have campaigned against for years.
NTD News
The New York Times
The Wall Street Journal
The measure is called Romanch's Law after 18-year-old Romanch Mahajan, a tourist from India who was thrown from a carriage and killed on June 17 when a horse bolted — reportedly the ninth such carriage incident in about a year.
FOX News
HuffPost
Mayor Zohran Mamdani backed the bill after reaching a deal with Council Speaker Julie Menin. Mamdani wrote on X that his administration would make sure workers and owners are protected and that the horses are safe.
FOX News
CNN
The law directs the city to produce a workforce transition plan by April that includes career counseling, training and job referrals, and to consider compensating operators. Owners may keep the horses but can't sell them for slaughter.
GB News
Gothamist
The Transport Workers Union, which represents carriage drivers and owners, said it would seek a court restraining order once the bill is enacted. It said the measure offers nothing concrete for drivers and carriage owners.
New York Post
Newsweek
President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social that the carriage ride is a "quintessential New York experience" and "will be missed." The rides have operated for over 150 years and were long opposed by animal welfare activists.
FOX News
The Washington Post

Sources Split

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The Spin

Narrative A

Forcing horses to haul tourists through traffic, scorching heat and freezing winters is cruelty with a business license, and ending it is long overdue. A single startled animal can turn a joyride into a funeral, and no sightseeing gimmick is worth that risk. With retraining for drivers and safe placement for the horses, this phaseout is a compassionate reform.

PETA on X

Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF)

Narrative B

Wiping out a 160-year trade over one tragic accident ignores the data: Carriage horses get vet checks, roomy stables and vacations, while bikes and violence cause far more harm in the park. Roughly 200 working-class families lose livelihoods so well-funded activists can claim a trophy. Killing the value of medallions and horses is a property grab.