NEW YORK, Oct 14 (Bernama-dpa) -- A hallmark of tourism in New York City's Central Park – a ride in a horse-drawn carriage through the city's vast urban retreat – may soon be a thing of the past, German Press Agency (dpa) reported.
NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani and City Council Speaker Julie Menin have agreed on a bill that would abolish the long-standing attraction, United States (US) media reported, following the death of a tourist who fell from a carriage in June and long-standing complaints from animal rights activists.
The ban is to be introduced in stages and take effect on June 1, 2028. The bill must first be approved by the New York City Council. A vote is expected as early as the end of next week, with Menin reportedly confident that it would win a majority.
"The horse carriage industry is coming to an end in New York City," Mamdani wrote late Tuesday on X.
"Our administration will make sure workers and owners are protected and the horses are safe," he added.
New York has for years been debating whether horse-drawn carriages – which have been rolling through Central Park for about one-and-a-half centuries – should stop operating.
The rides are very popular with tourists, but animal welfare activists have long called for them to end. They say the horses are overworked and poorly housed and that they can easily panic. Operators reject the accusations.
However, accidents have repeatedly occurred.
In June, an 18-year-old from India who was visiting New York with his family died after he jumped after his mother from a carriage after she was thrown out. The teenager was seriously injured after he hit his head on the ground and died shortly afterwards in hospital.
-- BERNAMA-dpa