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A 16-year-old horse collapsed and died during a carriage ride in Central Park, New York City, on Tuesday, June 8
The incident has sparked locals and animal rights groups to advocate for Ryder’s Law, which would ban horse carriages in N.Y.C.
Witnesses and activists are calling for action after multiple horse-related incidents in New York City over recent years
A carriage horse collapsed and died in Central Park in New York City.
On Tuesday, June 9, at around 7: 30 p.m. local time, police responded to “a 911 call for a deceased horse” in the vicinity of West Drive and West 72 in Central Park, the New York Police Department (NYPD) said in a statement to PEOPLE.
“Upon speaking with the carriage driver of the horse, it appears the horse suffered a medical episode,” the NYPD continued. “There is no criminality, and the investigation remains ongoing,” the police added.
Carriage driver Nurettin Kirbiyik was giving a ride to two passengers when his 16-year-old horse, Deniz, collapsed with shortness of breath before dying in Central Park, according to CBS New York and ABC7NY.
“Horse fell down in one second, I just came out. I tried to take it out and make the horse free to get up and he died in two seconds,” said Kirbiyik. The cause of death is unknown at this time.
The animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) shared a video on Facebook of the deceased horse lying on the ground of Central Park, as they advocated for the passage of Ryder’s Law, which would ban horse carriages in New York City. The law was named after a horse that collapsed in Manhattan in 2022.
“City Council, what more do you need? Central Park goers are crying and hugging after seeing this traumatizing death for all involved,” PETA wrote. “Pass Ryder’s Law NOW and ban horse carriages before another horse dies! We’ll be outside City Hall tomorrow demanding an end to this!”
Witness Clara Bermudez told ABC7NY, “I was going on a run, and I saw a horse on the floor struggling to breathe.”
“I was just walking my dog and saw a dead horse on the path on my walk home … this is the second incident that I’ve seen in 10 months,” a second witness, Danielle Leean Chin, said.
Carriage horses line one of the entrances to Central Park, N.Y.C.
Credit: Deb Cohn-Orbach/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty
A City Council spokesperson told PEOPLE in a statement: “The death of a carriage house in Central Park is always troubling, and we understand this is a difficult and emotional issue for many New Yorkers. Multiple bills about this issue will be introduced this week and will go through the legislative process to allow for input from all stakeholders.”
The City Council Committee on Health voted against Ryder’s Law in November 2025.
The nonprofit organization New Yorkers for Clean, Livable, and Safe Streets (NYCLASS) will rally at City Hall on Wednesday, June 11, to reintroduce the law, per CBS New York.
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“This is a nightmare,” NYCLASS Executive Director Edita Birnkrant told the outlet. “Our message to the Speaker Julie Menin and the City Council and the mayor is, we have got to pass Ryder’s Law this year. We have another horse that dropped dead in an agonizing death. We’ve had six violent incidents.”
PEOPLE has reached out to Central Park Conservancy for comment.
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