Activists protest in Central Park to deter visitors from riding in horse-drawn carriages
NEW YORK CITY (WABC) -- Activists are urging tourists and anyone else enjoying the holiday season in NYC, to avoid riding in a horse-drawn carriage.
They compare the treatment of those horses to animal abuse.
Protesters gathered in Central Park South on Saturday. They held signs to try to deter visitors from using the horses, suggesting they take a pedicab ride instead.
"We're out here educating all these tourists to instead take a pedicab ride. Many people are thankful, many people agree with us. But, a lot of people didn't understand how cruel this is and how these horses are literally being worked to death," Executive Director of NYClass Edita Birnkrant said.
In August, "Ryder", an elderly horse, collapsed on the corner of 45th Street and 9th Avenue. Ryder's death led to a renewed demand for NYC officials to take action against the horse carriage industry.
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