New York carriage driver acquitted of overworking horse that collapsed
NEW YORK CITY, JUL 21 – A six-person jury acquitted Ian McKeever of misdemeanor animal cruelty after less than an hour of deliberation in a trial focused on the collapse of his horse Ryder.
- On Monday, a six-person jury took less than an hour to acquit Ian McKeever of overdriving Ryder near Times Square in August 2022.
- Amid sweltering heat, Prosecutor Sophie Robart argued he `pushed Ryder beyond his limits`, despite signs the animal was struggling.
- A Cornell veterinarian reported the necropsy found no neglect or abuse, and the postmortem showed Ryder had bone cancer.
- Outside the courthouse, McKeever said `the verdict lifted a weight he had carried for nearly three years`, while juror Tracy Winston explained `the system that let Ryder work while unwell` was sharply critiqued.
- Calls to ban carriages intensified following Ryder's death, and Christina Hansen said the union has improved horse hospital access.
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Animal advocates rally at City Hall after ‘not guilty’ verdct in horse abuse case
Dozens of politicians, activists and others who care about animals rallied on the steps of City Hall on Wednesday, demanding that the NYC Council pass "Ryder’s Law" to end the horse carriage industry in NYC. Queens NYC Council Member Robert Holden, the sponsor of the bill, joined NYCLASS, an animal protection group, and others in leading the July 23 rally. Concerned New Yorkers held signs that read, "End horse abuse," and chanted “Pass Ryder’s L…

New York carriage driver acquitted of overworking horse that collapsed
A New York horse carriage driver has been acquitted of animal cruelty. The verdict came Monday in a rare criminal trial about the ornate coaches that carry sightseers around New York’s Central Park.
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