NYC to outlaw horse-drawn carriage rides by mid-2028 after mayor-council pact
Mayor Zohran Mamdadi and City Council Speaker Julie Menin have agreed to ban horse-drawn carriages across New York City, with a bill slated for a vote next week.
Mayor Zohran Mamdadi and City Council Speaker Julie Menin reached a deal to prohibit horse-drawn carriage services throughout New York City, with legislation expected to be introduced next week. The proposed law would take effect in June 2028, making such rides illegal in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Staten Island. Menin described the practice as a growing safety liability in the busy Central Park environment.
Advocates for animal welfare have campaigned for a ban, arguing that the horses endure grueling hours in extreme weather. The issue gained heightened attention after 18-year-old tourist Romanch Mahajan was thrown to his death when a horse became frightened during a ride. A spokesperson for the mayor’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Why it matters
The ban will affect tourism, public safety, and animal welfare in New York City.
How the sides frame it
MODERATE AGREEMENTAll camps report the same basic deal to ban horse-drawn carriages by June 2028 after a fatal accident, but left-leaning coverage stresses humane treatment and public support, centrist coverage presents the ban as a notable policy shift, and right-leaning coverage highlights safety liabilities and animal-welfare arguments.
LEFT
Frames the ban as a compassionate response to animal-welfare concerns and public demand, emphasizing humane disposition for horses and support for workers.
CENTER
Offers a neutral description of the mayor’s proposal, noting its historic significance and labeling the ban a major policy breakthrough.
RIGHT
Portrays the ban as a necessary safety measure, stressing the risk to riders and the harsh conditions horses face.
The left emphasises
- require owners to provide humane disposition for the horses
- 68% public support for the ban
- ban follows the death of 18-year-old Romanch Mahajan
The right emphasises
- Menin described the practice as a growing safety liability
- horses endure grueling hours in extreme weather
- tourist Romanch Mahajan was thrown to his death
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