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Nurettin Kırbıyık launches legal action against New York after horse dies in Central Park
After Deniz, a 16-year-old carriage horse, died in New York’s Central Park, his owner, Turkish carriage driver Nurettin Kırbıyık, began legal proceedings. A veterinary assessment found material consistent with Japanese yew in the horse’s digestive system, and Kırbıyık is seeking the removal of hazardous plants or the installation of warning signs.
After Deniz, a 16-year-old carriage horse, died at one of New York’s landmarks, Central Park, on June 9, 2026, his owner, Turkish carriage driver Nurettin Kırbıyık, took legal action.
Kırbıyık is seeking inspections of plants in the park that could pose a danger to animals and the removal of those deemed necessary. He argues that, if the plants are not removed, clear warning signs should be installed in high-risk areas.
It remains unclear whether the legal action is a lawsuit filed directly with a court or an official process launched before litigation. Details about any potential compensation claim, the defendants and the court that would hear the case have also not been disclosed.
Veterinary examination points to toxic plant
A veterinary assessment conducted after Deniz’s death found material in the animal’s digestive system consistent with and present in a potentially fatal amount of Japanese yew.
According to an assessment by Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, the finding indicates that the toxic plant may have contributed to Deniz’s death. However, because the full necropsy report has not been made public, plant consumption is being considered as a possible cause of poisoning rather than a definitive cause of death.
Deniz had been with Kırbıyık for approximately 10 years and was carrying two passengers at the time of the incident.
TWU Local 100, the union representing carriage drivers, also linked the death to the consumption of a toxic plant and said there was no evidence of overwork, mistreatment or neglect. The union said Deniz had undergone a routine examination by a veterinarian from the NYPD Mounted Police Unit in March and had been deemed fit to work.
Park management and Turkish carriage driver clash
The Central Park Conservancy says park rules prohibit horses from eating plants and require carriage drivers to keep their animals under constant supervision.
Kırbıyık, however, believes that the presence of toxic plants in areas where carriage horses regularly work and move around creates responsibility for park management.
Debate over carriage ban returns
Deniz’s death and Kırbıyık’s legal action came as debate continued in New York over the future of horse-drawn carriages.
New York City Council Member Christopher Marte reintroduced an updated version of Ryder’s Law on June 11, 2026, seeking to ban horse-drawn carriages in the city. The proposal is expected to go to a vote after the environmental review process is completed.
The legislation first came to the agenda after a carriage horse named Ryder collapsed in 2022 and later died.
Deniz’s death has renewed debate over horse welfare, carriage drivers’ duty to supervise their animals, the obligations of park management and the future of horse-drawn carriages in New York.
How the legal process initiated by Kırbıyık will conclude and whether any institution bears legal responsibility for the incident will become clear as the process advances.
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