New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and City Council Speaker Julie Menin have reached an agreement to ban the city's horse-drawn carriage industry, a move supported by animal welfare advocates and opposed by the Transport Workers Union. The deal, announced Tuesday, would make it illegal to operate horse-drawn carriages beginning in June 2028. The City Council is expected to vote on the legislation next week.
Animal rights activists have long raised concerns about the treatment of horses, with multiple horses dying since 2020. The push for a ban intensified after an 18-year-old tourist died in an accident over the summer. While there has been broad support for a ban, previous legislative efforts have been stalled by concerns from the Transport Workers Union regarding the livelihoods of carriage drivers.
Mayor Mamdani had previously expressed support for a ban but voiced concerns about insufficient worker protections in earlier versions of the bill. The finalized bill includes language for a workforce transition program offering career counseling and job referrals for drivers, and requires the city to "consider" compensating owners for their businesses. It also mandates humane disposal of the horses.
John Samuelsen, international president of the Transport Workers Union, criticized the bill, calling it "disgraceful political opportunism" and stating it offered "no meaningful economic relief for workers."
