On July 15th, Equine Advocates President & Founder Susan Wagner spoke before the New York City Council in support of “Romanch’s Law” (Intro 943), which would ban horse-drawn carriages in the city and prohibit the sale or transfer of these working horses for slaughter.

Over the last three decades, we’ve rescued and taken in equines from different backgrounds and cruel situations, including former urban carriage horses from NYC and Philadelphia. Susan passionately shared the stories of three former NYC carriage horses who lived at our sanctuary: Bobby II Freedom, Jack, and Sheena. All three horses came to us with chronic health issues that directly resulted from their years working the city streets and pulling carriages. Carriage owners, operators, and drivers may claim their horses don’t end up at slaughter auctions, but we’ve seen firsthand that they can and they do! This inhumane business needs to end before more lives, human or horse, are lost.

“We are very grateful that the New York City Council has finally held a hearing on legislation to ban the NYC Carriage Horse trade,” says Susan. “It was a privilege to testify and explain to the committee the devastating effects pulling carriages on hard city streets has on horses’ bodies.

In the two minutes each speaker was allotted, I chose to speak about the horrendous condition of the three former New York City carriage horses who were rescued and came to the sanctuary: Bobby II Freedom, Jack, and Sheena. I based my remarks on their individual medical records from Cornell and Rhinebeck Equine.

However, the main reason this hearing was finally held before members of the New York City Council was because of the tragic death of an 18-year-old tourist named Romanch Mahajan, who was thrown from a horse-drawn carriage exactly one month ago on June 17th and later died of his injuries. During the first hour of the hearing, Romanch’s devastated and heartbroken parents appeared via video call from their home in India. They were followed by the testimony of Romanch’s aunt, who appeared in person and sobbed uncontrollably as she addressed the Council. 

Romanch’s death marked the dramatic shift in most City Council members, including Speaker Julie Menin, who are now supporting the ban on horse-drawn carriages.

What I find to be most unfortunate is that there were countless warnings about the dangers of this inhumane and anachronistic business. There were numerous documented incidents of human injuries and near fatalities, not to mention the deaths of thousands of horses whose cruel treatment, suffering, and deaths by slaughter had fallen on deaf ears for decades by former NYC mayors and past City Councils.

I am very glad I had the opportunity to testify, but I was frustrated that I could not challenge some of the testimony by several people involved with the NYC carriage horse trade. I was especially put off by one of their veterinarians, who I believe was not being truthful and made inaccurate statements that needed to be corrected.

I know I am not alone in feeling optimistic that a ban might finally pass, but along with so many others, I am deeply saddened by the circumstances under which the climate for change suddenly occurred.

May Romanch’s Law pass swiftly to honor Romanch Mahajan and the countless NYC carriage horses who have also needlessly lost their lives.”