New York

Collapsed Carriage Horse in Central Park Sparks Calls for Investigation

Warning: Some people may find image disturbing.

Confronting images of a horse said to be collapsing in Central Park last week  sparked cries for an investigation into the horse's welfare Monday.

However the city advised the horse, named Max, had only tripped, and he was due back at work.

New York animal rights group NYCLASS said bystanders reported that a white carriage horse began breathing heavily before collapsing on the ground just before 10 a.m. Tuesday Feb. 21 near Tavern on the Green in the park.

The group provided images of the incident it said was taken by eyewitnesses. It believed the horse had just started its shift pulling carriages for the day.

Photos showed the horse first kneeling on the ground, and then fully splayed out on its side on the road. 

horse down nyc
NYCLASS
This image of an exhausted-looking carriage horse said to be collapsing in Central Park last week has sparked calls for an investigation into its welfare.

NYCLASS initially demanded an immediate investigation into the condition of the horse, saying it had not been able to identify whether the collapsed horse was doing okay.

However New York City's Department of Health and Mental Hygiene confirmed Monday the 13-year-old white Draft, named Max, was doing fine.

“On February 21 we were notified by the NYPD that a carriage horse, Max, had tripped and fallen in Central Park," the department said in a statement.

"The horse returned immediately to its stable and was examined by a private veterinarian who determined Max to be healthy.”

It said Max was last examined by the department in December 2016, and he was due back at work Monday.

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