New York City Council has passed legislation to phase out the horse-drawn carriage industry by mid-2028, bringing an end to a business with more than 165 years of history in the city. The decision follows decades of campaigning against a practice long promoted to tourists.
Defending the industry's place in New York, carriage driver and stable manager Conor McHugh told a hearing earlier this year that visitors travel from across the world to experience a carriage ride in the park. He portrayed the attraction as both internationally recognisable and deeply rooted in the city's traditions.
Nevertheless, the industry has faced persistent criticism over animal welfare and public safety. The longstanding campaign to abolish the rides gained renewed momentum this year following the death of Romanch Mahajan, a teenage tourist from India, in a June incident involving a runaway carriage horse.
