ISLIP, N.Y. (PIX11) – A horse was seen hanging out by the bar in a Long Island restaurant over the weekend, according to Humane Long Island.
The horse was spotted inside The Harp & Hound at 528 Main St. in Islip, according to social media posts obtained by the humane society. One of the photos showed the horse standing with multiple partons by the bar.
The Harp & Hound declined to comment on the incident. The pub initially posted a photo on its Facebook page showing a saddled horse outside the bar with the caption, "ID Kid ??" The post has since been removed.
Live animals, like horses, are not allowed inside food establishments, according to New York State law. They can carry diseases like rabies and salmonella, per Humane Long Island.
"Horses are prey animals who are easily frightened and have a high flight instinct. Exploiting a thousand-pound animal inside a loud and crowded bar is not only begging for attention but also begging for disaster," said John Di Leonardo, an anthrozoologist and executive director of Humane Long Island.
A spokesperson for the Suffolk County Health Department told PIX11 News on Wednesday that they received a complaint on Monday regarding a horse and its rider inside the bar.
"While there was no evidence of a horse present at the time of inspection, an employee stated that on July 19, a horse was ridden through the front door of the restaurant and immediately left through the back door as part of a prank for a birthday celebration. As per the employee, the horse was not behind the bar, nor did it enter the kitchen," Health Department spokesperson Grace Kelly-McGovern said.
The Suffolk County Health Department issued the bar a warning, according to Humane Long Island. The bar did not receive a violation because there were no live animals present at the time of inspection.
PIX11 News also reached out to the Town of Islip for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
Erin Pflaumer is a digital content producer from Long Island who has covered both local and national news since 2018. She joined PIX11 in 2023. See more of her work here.
