New York City to ban Central Park horse-drawn carriages after fatal tourist accident

The proposed legislation prohibits owners from selling horses to slaughterhouses, specifying that animals must be handled in a ’humane manner’

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New York City is moving to ban horse-drawn carriages from Central Park, ending a tradition of more than 150 years following long-standing campaigns by animal welfare groups and the fatal accident of a teenage tourist last spring.

While three consecutive mayors had previously advocated for an end to the industry over safety concerns, prior attempts were repeatedly halted by lawmakers.

A spokesperson for Julie Menin, the council speaker, confirmed the upcoming vote and stated that the bill has sufficient support to pass.

"The horse carriage industry is coming to an end in New York City," Mamdani said in a social media post.

The current push for a ban gained momentum in June after 18-year-old Romanch Mahajan, a tourist from India, died when he jumped from a runaway carriage during an outing with his family.

Mahajan's family members have repeatedly petitioned City Hall, both in person and via video link from India, pleading with officials to terminate the industry.

"Every morning we wake up and think of nothing but the loss of our son."

Previous incidents of horses collapsing or bolting into traffic have routinely triggered calls for legislative action.

"The tragic and preventable death of 18-year-old Romanch Mahajan made clear that the status quo is no longer acceptable. Horse-drawn carriages have long been part of New York City’s history, but in an increasingly busy Central Park, this tradition has become a growing public safety liability," Menin said in a statement.

The carriages feature in cinematic moments such as Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse dancing beside one in "The Band Wagon," Robert Redford and Jane Fonda riding through the park in "Barefoot in the Park," and Macaulay Culkin escaping pursuers in "Home Alone 2: Lost in New York."