New York Carriage Horses Spark Cruelty Outcry

Although animal-welfare activists have been calling for an end to New York City’s horse-drawn carriages for years, recent events have given new vigor to the movement. Three horses collapsed on city streets (two later died) over the course of only six weeks in late 2011, and on Thursday, a six-year-old horse named Oreo collided with a moving vehicle near Central Park. The frightened animal broke free of its carriage and galloped up Broadway, endangering itself and citizens and sparking alarm about the true risks of the tourism-driven industry. Advocacy group New Yorkers for Clean, Livable, and Safe Streets responded to the incident by pressing for a solution to the ongoing issue, suggesting that the horse carriages be replaced with eco-friendly vintage replica automobiles.