Necropsy Says 16-Year-Old Central Park Horse Died After Eating Toxic Yew, Fueling Blame Fight
Updated
Updated · abcnews.com · Jun 16
Necropsy Says 16-Year-Old Central Park Horse Died After Eating Toxic Yew, Fueling Blame Fight
3 articles · Updated · abcnews.com · Jun 16
Summary
Cornell's necropsy found that Deniz, a 16-year-old Central Park carriage horse, died after eating a Japanese yew shrub shortly before collapsing on June 9 during a ride with two passengers.
The Transport Workers Union said the toxic ornamental plant—not abuse, neglect or carriage work—caused the death, using the report to rebut renewed calls to ban horse-drawn carriages.
The union accused the Central Park Conservancy of failing to warn drivers about deadly yew plants, while the conservancy said city rules already bar horses from eating any park vegetation and require drivers to monitor them constantly.
Deniz had passed an NYPD veterinary exam in March, but the death lands amid broader scrutiny of the trade after seven carriage-horse incidents near the park in the past 13 months.