In summary:
- New York City has voted to end horse-drawn carriages. The City Council passed Romanch’s Law, a landmark bill ending carriage horse operations in the city.
- Years of harm made the case for change. Recent tragic incidents have drawn widespread attention to the harms and risks to horses and the public.
- The law aims to protect horses and support drivers during the change. The law requires that horses not be sold to slaughter, and that the City create a plan to support drivers and industry workers in transitioning to new jobs.
Horse carriages have been banned in New York City!
On October 22, 2026, New York City voted to end the use of horse-drawn carriages. The City Council passed Romanch’s Law, which bans horse-drawn carriage rides which have been operating in and around Central Park. Mayor Mamdani has 30 days to sign the law, veto it, or let it pass without action.
Under the new law, horse-drawn carriage rides will cease operations in June 2028.
The law considers a safe and fair transition for horses and drivers
Dozens of rescues, sanctuaries, and nonprofit organizations have offered to support a safe and free retirement for the horses currently used for carriage rides in the city. The legislation passed by the City Council and state law both prohibit the horses from being sold for slaughter.
The legislation also requires the City to develop a plan by next April to support horse carriage drivers and others in the industry to find alternative jobs, including referrals, career counselling, and educational opportunities.
The ban follows years of harm and recent tragic incidents
Horses pulling carriages through busy city streets face routine stress and serious risks. They work in traffic, on hard pavement, and in summer heat, conditions that put enormous strain on their bodies.
As sensitive, social animals, horses are not suited to the noise and unpredictability of a modern city. When they become frightened and bolt, both horses and people are in danger.
That reality was made painfully clear in New York City this past June. An 18-year-old tourist lost his life after falling from a carriage when a horse bolted. What should have been a relaxing family vacation ended in tragedy when he hit his head trying to help his fallen mother.
The incident led to renewed calls for change, with advocates pointing to back-to-back incidents involving the safety of horses and the public; just the previous week, a carriage horse collapsed and died near Central Park.
Advocates continue to call for an end to horse carriage rides in other cities
The harms and risks involved with horse carriages are not unique to one city. Incidents in Vancouver’s Stanley Park in 2016 and in Victoria in 2018, 2023, and 2024 have shown that the same dangers exist here at home. In Vancouver, horse-drawn carriage rides continue to operate at events in busy, high-traffic commercial districts, such as Kerrisdale and Commercial Drive, which can lead to further stress and fear for horses.
The Vancouver Humane Society and other local advocates continue to call for a ban on horse-drawn carriage rides on Vancouver’s streets. You can help by signing the quick action and encouraging friends and family to choose horse-free tourism options, or by sharing the VHS’s posts about this important issue on Facebook and Instagram.