Necropsy Set for NYC Carriage Horse

(Photo: Elizabeth Forel/Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages)

A necropsy will be performed on the carriage horse that collapsed and died on its way to Central Park Sunday morning.

The white horse had just left its stable when it fell down on the street in Midtown Manhattan. The ASPCA has transported its body to the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine to determine the cause of death.

Animal rights activist have long called for an end to the carriage horse business, saying that it is inhumane.

“The life of a carriage horse on New York City streets is extremely difficult and life threatening and the ASPCA has long believed that carriage horses were never meant to live and work in today’s urban setting,” Stacy Wolf, Vice President and Chief Legal Counsel of ASPCA Humane Law Enforcement said.

New Yorkers for Clean, Livable and Safe Streets echoed the sentiment.

“The sudden death of any horse is very uncommon, and today’s death is a reminder of why we cannot allow for carriage horse to work these harsh city streets any longer,” NYCLASS said in a statement. “Our sympathy goes to the poor horse that unexpectedly and tragically died in Midtown today.”

The organization also stated that it will continue to work to pass Intro. 86A, legislation that would replace horse carriages in New York City with electric-powered “horseless carriages” that would replicate turn of the century cars.

The Horse and Carriage Association of New York told the Daily News that the incident was “a tragedy” and that “our horses are taken care of.”