Share this @internewscast.com

A carriage horse driver was charged with misdemeanor animal cruelty on Wednesday, more than a year after his frail, ill horse collapsed on the streets of Manhattan, prosecutors announced.

Ian McKeever, 54, was arraigned on a charge of overdriving, torturing and injuring an animal or failure to provide proper sustenance for his treatment of the horse, Ryder, on Aug. 10, 2022, when it collapsed during the evening rush hour and lay on the street.

Video published by the New York Post showed McKeever pulling on Ryder’s reins and flogging the horse with a whip.

According to the criminal complaint, McKeever had been working Ryder since 9 a.m. when the horse collapsed in 84-degree weather.

Once Ryder was down, McKeever didn’t give the horse any water, prosecutors said.

A police officer removed Ryder’s harness and put ice and cold water on the horse for 45 minutes until he was able to stand up, District Attorney Alvin Bragg said in a news release.

McKeever told police that Ryder was 13 years old, but a veterinarian who later examined the horse estimated his age at 26 and said Ryder suffered from health issues including pancytopenia, a condition that causes decreased blood cell levels.

“As alleged, Ryder should not have been working on this hot summer day,” Bragg said. “Despite his condition, he was out for hours and worked to the point of collapse.”

Ryder was euthanized two months later because of his poor health.

McKeever’s attorney, Raymond Loving, didn’t immediately respond to a phone message seeking comment.

Ryder’s death became a rallying cry for animal welfare advocates who have long pushed to ban the horse-drawn carriages that ferry tourists around Central Park.

Former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio promised to retire the carriage horses during his 2013 campaign, but they are still on the job.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like
Eric Swalwell furious after Kash Patel pushes to release files of Chinese spy linked to him

Eric Swalwell Expresses Outrage as Kash Patel Advocates for Release of Files Tied to Chinese Spy Allegations

Congressman Eric Swalwell, a prominent Democratic contender in the California gubernatorial race,…
Passenger bomb threat triggers police response and evacuation on Frontier flight under investigation

Bomb Scare on Frontier Airlines Leads to Evacuation and Police Action

On Sunday, a Frontier Airlines flight was diverted to a secluded runway…
JD Vance warns that UFOs could be 'demons' flying around earth, vows to 'get to the bottom' of it

JD Vance Raises Alarming Theory: UFOs May Be ‘Demons’ — Pledges Comprehensive Investigation

WASHINGTON — Vice President JD Vance recently shared a provocative theory, suggesting…
East River ferry to be sunk in ocean as an artifical reef

East River Ferry to Transform into Underwater Habitat as Artificial Reef

The ferry godmothers of Queens have made their entrance. A spirited group…
American-born IDF soldier Moshe Yitzchak Hacohen Katz killed in Lebanon

Tragic Loss: American-Born IDF Soldier Moshe Katz Killed in Lebanon Conflict

An Israeli soldier has tragically lost his life during combat operations in…
Terrorist attack on Paris Bank of America branch thwarted before bomb detonated: report

Swift Action Prevents Bombing at Paris Bank of America Branch: Authorities Avert Terrorist Attack

In a dramatic turn of events, Paris police successfully thwarted a terror…
Trans illegal alien dodges prison after pleading guilty to sex crimes against child: report

DHS Challenges Plea Agreement Potentially Releasing Migrant After Guilty Plea in Teen Assault Case

On Sunday, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) strongly criticized a plea…
CPAC 2026: HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Talks the MAHA Agenda One Year In

HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Reflects on the MAHA Agenda at CPAC 2026: Insights One Year On

Robert Kennedy Jr., the Health and Human Services Secretary, received a warm…
Crimson-clad clown flings shredded Quran at NYC mosque, smears feces on building: cops

Outrage in NYC: Crimson-Clad Clown Vandalizes Mosque with Shredded Quran and Feces

A vandal, lacking in fitness and sporting a head-to-toe red outfit, targeted…
San Francisco supervisor delays resignation decision as she navigates personal health crisis

San Francisco Supervisor Postpones Resignation Amid Personal Health Challenge

Jackie Fielder, a prominent progressive figure among San Francisco’s supervisors, has reversed…
Nestlé says 413,793 KitKat candy bars stolen en route from Italy to Poland

Massive Heist: Over 400,000 KitKat Bars Vanish During Transport from Italy to Poland

GENEVA — Nestlé, the Swiss multinational known for its KitKat chocolates, reported…
Our Chicago: For more than 50 years, Haymarket Center has helped people struggling with addiction

Chicago’s Haymarket Center: A 50-Year Legacy of Supporting Addiction Recovery

In 1975, Haymarket Center was established in Chicago by Monsignor Ignatius McDermott…