END TO HORSE-DRAWN CARRIAGE RIDES

NEW YORK, OCTOBER 14 /SRNA/ - One of Central Park's best-known attractions, rides in horse-drawn carriages, could soon become a thing of the past, US media reported.

According to U.S. media, New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani and City Council Speaker Julie Menin have agreed on a draft law to end the long-running attraction following the death of a tourist who fell from a carriage in June and years of complaints from animal rights activists.

The ban would be phased in and take effect on June 1, 2028. The bill must first be approved by the New York City Council.

German news agency DPA reported that a vote is expected no earlier than the end of next week, with Menin expressing confidence that the measure will secure a majority.

Mamdani wrote on X late last night that New York's horse-drawn carriage industry had reached the end of the road and that his administration would ensure workers and owners were protected and the horses kept safe.

In June, an 18-year-old tourist from India visiting New York with his family died after jumping from a carriage following his mother, who had been thrown out moments earlier. The teenager suffered serious injuries after striking his head on the pavement and died shortly afterward in hospital.