Carriage horse dies in Central Park, NYPD says

CENTRAL PARK -- A carriage horse died inside Central Park on Tuesday, NYPD confirmed.

Police said a deceased horse was reported in the vicinity of Central Park West and 72nd Street.

TWU Local 100 said the horse, Deniz, was 16 and was beloved by his caretakers. They said he was last seen by the NYPD Mounted Unit's veterinarian in March and was found to be fit.

"Sadly, horses, just like other domesticated animals, have catastrophic and sudden health incidents," Eric Loegel with TWU Local 100 said.

Deniz will be taken for a full necropsy by the pathology department of Cornell University's College of Veterinary Medicine to determine the cause of death.

PETA Director Ashley Byrne responded to the incident with a statement saying, "If City Council needed a sign that the time is now to pass Ryder's Law, this is it. How many more horses must collapse and die on New York City streets before this deadly horse-drawn carriage industry is put out to pasture?"

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.