Target: Alvin Bragg, District Attorney, New York County, New York
Goal: Secure the highest possible sentence and permanent carriage-industry ban for the handler who allegedly drove an emaciated horse to a fatal street collapse.
Ryder, a carriage horse who reportedly looked so thin that his ribs protruded, staggered and fell on a busy Midtown street after pulling a carriage through 84-degree heat, according to multiple eyewitnesses. Video of the incident showed the prone animal struggling while his driver allegedly yanked the reins and tried to force him upright, offering no water or rest. The horse apparently lay there for nearly an hour before first responders arrived.
Prosecutors state that Ryder was suffering from numerous untreated health problems and that his teeth were so worn down he could not properly chew food. Despite these red flags, the horse was allegedly kept on duty for a full shift in heavy traffic. Experts say prolonged exertion in sweltering conditions can trigger circulatory collapse, organ failure, and ultimately death—exactly the fate Ryder reportedly met after being moved to an upstate farm and later euthanized.
Anything less than the maximum penalty risks sending a message that forcing exhausted animals to labor for tourist entertainment is an acceptable cost of doing business. Sign below to demand a decisive sentence coupled with a lifetime ban from working with animals to help deter future cruelty and honor Ryder’s reported suffering.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear District Attorney Bragg,
Court testimony indicates that a carriage horse named Ryder was driven through Manhattan in oppressive summer heat despite appearing severely underweight and visibly distressed. Witnesses have claimed the animal’s ribs were plainly visible and that, after collapsing, he was repeatedly pulled and prodded while deprived of water. Veterinary findings reportedly revealed chronic health issues that made him unfit for labor.
Such alleged disregard for an animal’s basic welfare constitutes more than a simple lapse in judgment. Forcing an ailing horse to haul a carriage in 84-degree weather, then refusing relief when he collapsed, exemplifies the very cruelty New York’s animal-protection laws were written to prevent. Permitting minimal consequences would undermine public confidence in those statutes and endanger other working animals.
We respectfully urge your office to pursue the maximum sentence allowable for every count, demand full restitution for Ryder’s care, and advocate a permanent prohibition on the defendant’s future involvement with carriage operations or any animals. A firm stance will affirm that New York County values compassion over profit and will not tolerate cruelty on its streets.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo credit: Михаил Крамор
