Three people were injured on Sunday when a horse pulling a carriage became spook and began running wild near Central Park.
The horse was stopped at 59th Street and Sixth Avenue when a nearby pedestrian opened an umbrella. The horse took off and slammed into three parked cars before officials got it under control.
Three passengers in the carriage were injured. The handler was unhurt.
The animal rights group NYCLASS said this shows why the horse carriage industry needs to end in New York City.
“It is now clearer than ever that the city’s antiquated horse carriage rules endanger anyone who visits, lives, or works in New York City. The enforcement of these carriages is a joke and it has only gotten more lax in the last four years, despite repeated assurances from City Hall. The time for talk is over. We need real leadership and we need it now,” said Edita Birnkrant with NYCLASS.
The group said this is the second horse carriage accident on Central Park South in the last several weeks. It’s also calling on city officials to disclose the condition of the horse and the results of the veterinary exam.
Mayor Bill de Blasio has promised to end the horse carriage industry in New York City. However, he has failed to do so.
“@BilldeBlasio @NYCMayor you promised you’d protect these horses. We’re waiting,” NYCLASS said on Twitter.
An investigation continues.
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