NEW YORK CITY VOTES TO BAN HORSE-DRAWN CARRIAGES FOLLOWING TRAGIC DEATH OF 18-YEAR-OLD TOURIST 

October 22, 2026 - In a historic victory for carriage horses and public safety, the New York City Council voted overwhelmingly, 40-7, to pass Romanch's Law, legislation that will phase out horse-drawn carriages in Central Park by June 1, 2028.

When Romanch's Law is signed by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, it will:

• Phase out horse-drawn carriage operations in NYC by June 1, 2028
• Require a transition plan for carriage drivers and other workers dependant on the industry
• Require the humane placement of carriage horses and prohibit their sale for slaughter or for use in other carriage businesses

Romanch's Law - The legislation is named in memory of 18-year-old Romanch Mahajan, who tragically lost his life on June 17, 2026, during a horse-drawn carriage ride in Central Park. Romanch was visiting New York City from India with his parents, Deepak and Priya, and his 11-year-old brother, Manik. The family was celebrating Romanch's high school graduation and acceptance into a university in India.  During a stop on the carriage ride, the horse suddenly bolted, causing the carriage to overturn. When Romanch attempted to help his mother, who had fallen from the carriage, he also fell, striking his head on the pavement. He was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he died from his injuries.

For decades, animal welfare advocates have fought to end New York City's horse-drawn carriage industry, raising concerns about the suffering endured by horses who are forced to endure heavy traffic, loud noises, extreme weather conditions, exhaustion, injuries and death. Romanch's Law marks a significant step toward ending this longstanding practice and willl protect both horses and the public from further harm.

LCA mourns the heartbreaking and preventable loss of Romanch Mahajan. Our thoughts are with his family, whose unimaginable tragedy has helped bring about meaningful change. We hope Romanch's legacy will help prevent future suffering and save lives - both human and animal.

LCA'S History of Fighting for Carriage Horses

In 2015, LCA released an undercover investigation (see below) exposing the suffering of New York City's carriage horses. The investigation documented horses forced to work while injured, denied access to water, and being subjected to dangerous traffic conditions. LCA, together with animal rights organization NYCLASS, also launched public awareness campaigns calling for an end to this cruel industry, including placing billboards near City Hall.

 

CAMPAIGN TIMELINE TO BAN HORSE-DRAWN CARRIAGES IN NYC 

On February 21, 2017, a white carriage horse named Max collapsed suddenly while on the job in Central Park.

According to witnesses, Max began breathing heavily, then fell to the ground at about 10 am near the beginning of his shift. 

After getting up and walking a few more steps, Max collapsed again.

Clearly, something was very, very wrong—yet Max was forced to return to work just days after this alarming incident.

Sadly, this disturbing case is only the latest in a string of injuries, accidents, and acts of animal abuse. It's time to finally end this cruelty!

 

VICTORY FOR NYC CARRIAGE HORSES!

8/30/2018: the Department of Transportation submitted new draft rules outlining NYC Mayor de Blasio's plan to move the current horse-drawn carriage hack line into Central Park. On March 1, 2019, NYC carriage horses were officially moved out of busy traffic on 59th Street and into three locations inside of the car-free park! While horse-drawn carriages are clearly cruel and inhumane (and should be banned altogether), the hack line move is a step in the right direction as NYC carriage horses will no longer be forced to work in traffic on the dangerous city streets.

11/25/2019: New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio signed Intro 1425A—the Carriage Horse Heat Relief Bill—into law to alleviate the misery horses are forced to endure while working in the scorching summer heat.

2015 - New York Carriage Horse Industry Investigation

LCA undercover investigators documented the sad reality that NYC horses endure every day, and revealed horses deprived of food and water, made to pull carriages while obviously in pain, and tethered so tightly in their stalls at night they could not lie down. See the full investigation results here.

Emmy-award winning actress Edie Falco stars in a public service announcement from LCA condemning New York City’s cruel carriage horse industry and urging the passage of a ban on horse-drawn carriages. Versions of the PSA ran on major cable news networks – including CNN, Fox News, and MSNBC – throughout the five boroughs of NYC following the investigation release.

 

 

The carriage industry isn't just cruel; it threatens the safety of New Yorkers and tourists alike. 

Since 2009, there have been numerous horse carriage-related accidents in NYC, causing serious injuries to drivers, horses, customers, and passers-by.  These include a child falling out of a carriage and getting run over by the wheel, a horse collapsing and dying in the street, and numerous cases of carriage drivers fleeing the scenes of accidents. Many hit-and-run carriage drivers are never identified, and thus never held accountable.

In St. Petersburg, Russia in 2007, five-year-old Valeriya Kolodyazhnaya — the daughter of the mayor of Sochi — was killed in a horrific horse-drawn carriage accident. A car collided with the carriage, causing Valeriya to fall onto the road; she was admitted to the hospital with severe injuries, and later died. 

LCA's Billboard Campaign to Ban Horse Drawn Carriages in NYC!

At the request of New York Mayor Bill de Blasio — who promised on the campaign trail to end the archaic carriage horse industry — the New York City Council proposed a bill in December 2014 to ban horse-drawn carriages (Intro 573). Most council members were initially supportive, but many changed their stance and grew undecided.

To push for the ban, LCA ran a hard-hitting campaign targeting City Hall. 

 

The above billboard was strategically placed right between City Hall and the council offices to remind city officials every day of their duty to make the streets of NYC safe — for people and for horses. This educational billboard was taken down due to an unfair policy banning political advertising on Metropolitan Transit Authority property.  

LCA and NYClass also placed bus stop posters in key districts to target specific council members:

 

      

 

 

Wendie Malick joined in the fight by starring in this LCA PSA against the NYC horse-carriage industry:

 

 

There are 51 members of New York City Council, and 26 votes were needed to pass the carriage ban. We had support from the key leaders — the mayor, speaker, and committee chair, but many council members remained on the fence and Intro 573 never made it to a City Council vote in its original form.

In January 2016, Mayor de Blasio introduced a new, weaker version of the bill — Intro 573B, which would:

• Reduce the number of NYC horse licenses from approximately 180 to 95
• Retire more than half the horses
• Remove horse-drawn carriages from the streets, only allowing them to operate in Central Park
• Guarantee that no horse is sold for slaughter
• Move all stables from their current location in Hell's Kitchen to Central Park
• Require larger stalls and a paddock for turnout

It is a shame that the powers that be and the City Council could not take the major step of abolishing the trade altogether. Still, Intro 573B was a step in the right direction. NYC City Council was scheduled to vote on Intro 573B on Friday, February 5th, 2016; however, the vote was canceled and is delayed until further notice. The mayor has since all but abandoned his efforts to ban horse-drawn carriages in the city.

What You Can Do:

• Do not support industries that support animals for entertainment like horse-drawn carriages and educate others about why these industries are cruel.