N.Y.C. Carriage Horse Who Collapsed Near Central Park This Summer Is Euthanized
Kate Hogan
Tue, October 18, 2022
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Q5Yx_Is4s8 Video Shows Collapsed Carriage Horse On NYC Street 11,566 views Aug 11, 2022 A New York City carriage horse collapsed on a Midtown street and needed to be doused with water before being revived by NYPD officers. The horse is now recovering at a stable nearby.
Ryder, the New York City carriage horse who went viral in August after collapsing during an incident caught on video, has died, PEOPLE confirms. The animal was euthanized at the private residence he'd been relocated to following the dramatic event, a rep for the local Transit Workers Union shared.
According to the New York Times, Ryder had been steadily losing weight, ultimately collapsing and suffering a seizure before his euthanization. A necropsy is underway.
On Aug. 10, Ryder was found "lying in the middle of the roadway in distress," the New York City Police Department told PEOPLE of the animal's collapse at 45th St. and Ninth Ave. A video of the moment obtained by NBC News showed Ryder's carriage driver Ian McKeever attempting to pull the animal up and hitting it, yelling, "Get up! Come on! Get up! Get up!" as Ryder stayed on the ground and dropped his head.
The video renewed calls for an end to the carriage ride practice in New York's Central Park and other large cities, with celebrities like Billie Eilish and Kaley Cuoco signing an open letter through the Animal League Defense Fund stating in part, "this is not the way animals should be treated."
RELATED: Sudden Death of Carriage Horse in New York City Prompts Outrage: 'This Is Not Tourism'
"Ryder is an individual, but his situation is not unique," the letter continued. "Tragic outcomes for horses haunt New York City's history, as well as other cities across the country. Horses, carriage passengers, pedestrians, cyclists and others are put at risk by this cruel and reckless industry. We say: No more."
Immediately following the August incident, Ryder was taken to a New York City stable, cooled off and given "proper veterinary care," the NYPD said at the time. The Transit Union later shared that Ryder was diagnosed with EPM, "a neurological disease caused by possum droppings," a rep wrote via Twitter.
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Ryder was eventually moved to an upstate New York farm, according to the New York Post, though questions continued to swirl about his treatment at the property, up until his death this week, both the Post and AM New York reported.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg is continuing his investigation into the animal's care during his time in N.Y.C., while the city Health Department charged the carriage driver's brother, Colm McKeever, for allegedly changing Ryder's age from 26 to 13 on veterinary records, the Post said.
A vigil is planned for the animal in New York City on Tuesday, at the site of his August collapse, as activists continue to ask the New York City Council to pass Intro 573, a bill proposing the city prohibit the issuance of new horse-drawn carriage licenses and replace the existing carriages with electric alternatives.
"The horse deserved to spend his days in a pasture, not on pavement," PETA director Ashley Byrne told PEOPLE on Oct. 18. "PETA is calling on the New York City council to pass Int 0573 to get suffering horses replaced with modern electric carriages before history repeats itself."
According to the New York Times, Ryder had been steadily losing weight, ultimately collapsing and suffering a seizure before his euthanization. A necropsy is underway.
On Aug. 10, Ryder was found "lying in the middle of the roadway in distress," the New York City Police Department told PEOPLE of the animal's collapse at 45th St. and Ninth Ave. A video of the moment obtained by NBC News showed Ryder's carriage driver Ian McKeever attempting to pull the animal up and hitting it, yelling, "Get up! Come on! Get up! Get up!" as Ryder stayed on the ground and dropped his head.
The video renewed calls for an end to the carriage ride practice in New York's Central Park and other large cities, with celebrities like Billie Eilish and Kaley Cuoco signing an open letter through the Animal League Defense Fund stating in part, "this is not the way animals should be treated."
RELATED: Sudden Death of Carriage Horse in New York City Prompts Outrage: 'This Is Not Tourism'
"Ryder is an individual, but his situation is not unique," the letter continued. "Tragic outcomes for horses haunt New York City's history, as well as other cities across the country. Horses, carriage passengers, pedestrians, cyclists and others are put at risk by this cruel and reckless industry. We say: No more."
Immediately following the August incident, Ryder was taken to a New York City stable, cooled off and given "proper veterinary care," the NYPD said at the time. The Transit Union later shared that Ryder was diagnosed with EPM, "a neurological disease caused by possum droppings," a rep wrote via Twitter.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up to date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Ryder was eventually moved to an upstate New York farm, according to the New York Post, though questions continued to swirl about his treatment at the property, up until his death this week, both the Post and AM New York reported.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg is continuing his investigation into the animal's care during his time in N.Y.C., while the city Health Department charged the carriage driver's brother, Colm McKeever, for allegedly changing Ryder's age from 26 to 13 on veterinary records, the Post said.
A vigil is planned for the animal in New York City on Tuesday, at the site of his August collapse, as activists continue to ask the New York City Council to pass Intro 573, a bill proposing the city prohibit the issuance of new horse-drawn carriage licenses and replace the existing carriages with electric alternatives.
"The horse deserved to spend his days in a pasture, not on pavement," PETA director Ashley Byrne told PEOPLE on Oct. 18. "PETA is calling on the New York City council to pass Int 0573 to get suffering horses replaced with modern electric carriages before history repeats itself."
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