Necropsy Finds Toxic Plant Caused Death of Central Park Carriage Horse
Japanese yew is an ornamental, non-native plant that is highly toxic to horses and can also be dangerous to people, dogs, and other animals. Cornell's findings noted that the plant contains a potent toxin capable of triggering cardiac arrest in horses.
On June 10, while giving a carriage ride along the park drive near East 90th Street, Deniz reportedly stopped and ate from a shrub planted along the curb. The shrub was later identified as a Japanese yew. A short time later, the horse began trembling, collapsed, and died. Those symptoms are consistent with yew poisoning, according to veterinary experts.
TWU Local 100 Administrative Vice President Alexander Kemp said the findings should shift the conversation surrounding the horse's death.
"Deniz's tragic death was not caused by neglect or abuse or the fact he was a carriage horse, as some animal rights activists and elected officials claimed," Kemp said. "Poor Deniz died because the people running the Park Conservancy never warned anyone that there were deadly yew plants in the park."
At the press conference, Kemp was joined by carriage horse driver Christina Hansen, who spoke about the care and attention carriage horses receive every day. Both emphasized the deep bond between drivers and their horses and stressed that the animals' health and well-being remain the industry's top priority.
The union also raised concerns about how a plant known to be deadly to horses could be located in an area heavily traveled by carriage horses, mounted police horses, recreational riding horses, dogs, and members of the public.
The Central Park Conservancy, which oversees the landscaping, maintenance, and planting of vegetation throughout Central Park, is facing questions from the union regarding the presence of Japanese yew in the park. TWU Local 100 is calling for greater transparency regarding landscaping practices and a comprehensive review of potentially toxic plantings throughout the park.
The union noted that another group of Japanese yew plants is located near Cherry Hill Plaza, a well-known turnaround and resting area for carriage horses that has been used for generations.
This could have been any of the carriage horses, police horses, or recreational riding horses that use the park," Hansen said. "God forbid a child puts yew needles or a branch in his or her mouth."
Union leaders also criticized efforts by opponents of the carriage horse industry to use Deniz's death as evidence that horse-drawn carriage rides should be banned. Within hours of the incident, several activists and elected officials publicly renewed calls for a ban before any medical findings had been released.
TWU International President John Samuelsen said the Cornell findings directly contradict those claims and urged the public to focus on the facts established by the veterinary report.
Deniz was by all indications a healthy horse. He was last examined by the NYPD Mounted Unit's veterinarian in March and was found fit for duty.
As the investigation continues, TWU Local 100 says its focus remains on ensuring that no other horse, animal, or member of the public is exposed to potentially deadly plants in Central Park. The union is also reviewing whether similar toxic plantings exist elsewhere in the park and is calling on park officials to take immediate steps to identify and address any hazards.
For carriage drivers who cared for Deniz and worked alongside him every day, the loss remains deeply personal. They hope the lessons learned from this tragedy will help prevent another needless death and bring greater attention to the safety of both animals and visitors in one of New York City's most iconic public spaces.
In the News
The findings of the Cornell necropsy and TWU Local 100's press conference at Grand Army Plaza generated significant media attention, with news outlets across New York City covering the union's call for answers regarding the presence of toxic yew plants in Central Park and the circumstances surrounding Deniz's death.