Ian McKeever, the 56-year-old New York City carriage driver who was accused of abusing an elderly and sick horse, which then collapsed on a Manhattan street, has been found not guilty of animal cruelty.
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According to the Associated Press, prosecutors alleged that McKeever had overdriven a horse named Dryver on August 10, 2022. With temperatures reaching 84 degrees, McKeever was accused of purposely forcing the horse to keep pulling a carriage despite showing signs of exhaustion.
Eventually, after seven hours of work, the horse collapsed near Times Square. Videos shared by the New York Post showed McKeever hitting and yanking on Ryder’s reins while he lay on the ground, as per the outlet. This prompted backlash from animal rights activists, with calls to punish McKeever growing by the second.
Eventually, Ryder got on all fours and entered a police trailer to be driven back home. However, months after the incident, Ryder was found to be suffering from multiple health problems. He was euthanized shortly after.
A year later, McKeever was arrested and charged with a misdemeanor count of animal abuse. He criticized the charge, calling it “ridiculous.” Additionally, he added that he had never abused an animal in his 30-year career as a carriage driver.
Allegedly, McKeever told police that Ryder was 13 years old at the time. However, as reported by PEOPLE, it was found via a veterinarian that the horse was 26. Moreover, a necropsy found that the horse suffered from leukemia, which caused the fall.
Not Guilty
However, after a five-day trial, and according to CBS News, an hour of deliberation, a jury found Ian McKeever not guilty of animal abuse. One of the panelists, Tracy Winston, said that the fact that McKeever didn’t know about Ryder’s cancer is what contributed to his acquittal.
As the verdict came down, McKeever became emotional and was seen with a smile on his face.
“I feel vindicated in what I do and what I’m about,” McKeever said following his verdict. “Everybody was looking at me like I’m an abuser of a horse, and it just killed me because I love horses.”
He added that he plans to return to his job as a carriage driver, saying that it’s his lifelong work.
A Manhattan District Attorney’s Office spokesperson shared a statement with CBS News following the verdict.
“All animals deserve to be treated with the utmost of care,” the statement read. “I thank the jury for dedicating their time to hear the evidence presented to them over these past five days. I also want to thank our prosecutors for presenting a thorough case based on the facts and evidence.”
The DA’s office also encouraged the public to report any case of animal abuse to 212-335-9040.