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Necropsy Finds Central Park Carriage Horse Died After Eating Toxic Plant
A necropsy found that a carriage horse named Deniz died after consuming a lethal amount of Japanese yew in Central Park. The findings prompted mutual accusations of negligence between the carriage drivers' union and park management.
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A necropsy determined that a carriage horse collapsed and died in Central Park after ingesting a toxic plant.
The examination found abundant plant needles and components of Japanese yew in the horse's mouth and stomach. A pathologist at Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine concluded that the amount was sufficient to be lethal. The horse, named Deniz, collapsed at Strawberry Fields around 7:30 p.m. on June 9.
The Transport Workers Union stated that the death resulted from a failure by park management to warn about the presence of the plants. TWU Local 100 Administrative Vice President Alexander Kemp said the park operators never alerted anyone to the deadly yew plants.
The Central Park Conservancy responded that park rules prohibit horses from eating vegetation and require drivers to attend to their horses at all times. It accused the union of negligence and renewed calls for a ban on horse-drawn carriages. TWU International President John Samuels rejected the calls for a ban, calling the Conservancy's response shameful and pointing to toxic shrubbery planted in areas used by horses.
A carriage driver and shop steward said the incident could have affected any horse using the park and raised concerns about risks to other animals and children.
