Ian McKeever, a New York City carriage horse driver, was acquitted of animal cruelty charges linked to the death of a horse named Ryder. The incident occurred on August 10, 2022, when Ryder collapsed after being worked for over seven hours. Prosecutors claimed the overworking led to Ryder's later euthanization. Witness footage showed McKeever urging the horse to get up. Following the trial, the District Attorney affirmed the importance of caring for animals, while a councilman criticized the verdict and vowed to outlaw the horse carriage industry.
All animals deserve to be treated with the utmost of care. I thank the jury for dedicating their time to hear the evidence presented to them over these past five days. I also want to thank our prosecutors for presenting a thorough case based on the facts and evidence.
Ian McKeever knew Ryder's true age - the horse was nearly 30 years old, the equivalent of a 90-year-old human - and still chose to force him to work on the scorching streets of Manhattan.
This decision ignores the cruelty and inhumanity of what happened. I will not give up on ending this barbaric and outdated industry once and for all.
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