11th-hour…NYC’s horse carriages must get city vet inspection or have license revoked!
The city is moving forward with new oversight of its horse-drawn carriage industry.
Under an executive order signed by Mayor Eric Adams just hours before Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani takes office, all licensed carriage horses will be required to undergo inspections by a city-hired veterinarian. The exams will screen for drug use, injuries, and potential abuse, and owners who refuse to comply could lose their licenses.
The order follows a failed attempt several weeks ago by city-contracted veterinarian Dr. Kraig Kulikowski to conduct independent testing on 12 carriage horses across three stables. According to outgoing First Deputy Mayor Randy Mastro, Kulikowski observed scars that appeared consistent with poorly fitting equipment and noted conditions that suggested possible abuse.
Despite those concerns, the owners of all 12 horses declined to allow follow-up evaluations, including trotting tests to check for lameness and blood work to detect painkillers or other drugs. “There’s a right to do examinations, and now the horse carriage owners will be on full notice of the consequences if they continue this stonewalling,” Mastro said Wednesday, referring to the executive order.
John Samuelsen, president of the labor union representing carriage drivers, has said the industry has “nothing to hide” and would welcome an independent review conducted by equine veterinarians affiliated with major universities. He has claimed the veterinarian hired by the city is biased against the carriage horse industry.
Kulikowski has been publicly associated with Equine Advocates, a horse sanctuary nonprofit that opposes carriage rides. City Hall has said he was the only applicant who met the qualifications for the $20,000 veterinary contract awarded in November.
The city Health Department is expected to notify owners of more than 200 carriage horses by Jan. 6 to begin coordinating the required exams. Inspections are scheduled to start in February. Owners who refuse could face license suspension or revocation under the order.
Enforcement of the mandate will ultimately fall to the incoming Mamdani administration, as new mayors have the authority to continue or rescind executive orders.
At a news conference Tuesday, Mamdani appeared to sharpen his stance on the industry. While he has previously expressed support for both banning horse-drawn carriages and forming a study panel, he told reporters he intends to back removing carriage horses from Central Park.
“I plan to deliver on that,” Mamdani said.
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