Romanch’s Law hearing: independent veterinary exams of carriage horses found scars, dental neglect, lameness, and limited pasture access; DOH said a late‑2025 pilot inspected a small number of horses and declined to release contracted vets’ names amid questions about vet disciplinary histories. Source: https://youtu.be/TykAgSqMA4I&t=13765 https://youtu.be/TykAgSqMA4I&t=3462 https://youtu.be/TykAgSqMA4I&t=4636
# What’s happening
– An independent veterinarian reported clinical findings on carriage horses. Source: https://youtu.be/TykAgSqMA4I&t=13765
– The New York City Department of Health (DOH) ran a pilot of horse exams in late 2025. Source: https://youtu.be/TykAgSqMA4I&t=4636
– DOH said it solicited veterinarians and received one response for the pilot. Source: https://youtu.be/TykAgSqMA4I&t=3462
# Why it matters
– Carriage horses and their owners are directly affected by clinical fitness assessments. Source: https://youtu.be/TykAgSqMA4I&t=13765
– Vet findings and contracting decisions shape regulatory enforcement and public confidence in oversight. Source: https://youtu.be/TykAgSqMA4I&t=6121
# Key details
– Hearing date: July 15, 2026, New York City Council Health Committee. Source: https://youtu.be/TykAgSqMA4I&t=3366
– DOH pilot timing: described as “end of 2025,” with agency saying it assessed 12 horses. Source: https://youtu.be/TykAgSqMA4I&t=4636
– Independent veterinarian said he was commissioned to examine 16 carriage horses and conducted truncated exams. Source: https://youtu.be/TykAgSqMA4I&t=13765
– Clinical findings reported: widespread old scars on horses’ backs, insufficient dental care, lameness visible at the walk, and lack of natural pasture access. Source: https://youtu.be/TykAgSqMA4I&t=13765
– DOH said it solicited equine veterinarians for the pilot and received one response; DOH also said it contracts multiple equine veterinarians but declined to provide names. Source: https://youtu.be/TykAgSqMA4I&t=3462 https://youtu.be/TykAgSqMA4I&t=6121
– Witnesses at the hearing cited a veterinarian with prior disciplinary sanctions, including state board findings dating to 2020. Source: https://youtu.be/TykAgSqMA4I&t=24993
Department of Health (DOH)
– Role or jurisdiction: City agency responsible for licensing and inspecting carriage horses. Source: https://youtu.be/TykAgSqMA4I&t=3366
– Action taken or responsibility: Ran a late‑2025 pilot of clinical examinations and reviews certification paperwork. Source: https://youtu.be/TykAgSqMA4I&t=3462 https://youtu.be/TykAgSqMA4I&t=4636
– Relevant numbers or dates: DOH reported assessing 12 horses in the pilot; it has six inspectors who oversee the industry. Source: https://youtu.be/TykAgSqMA4I&t=4636 https://youtu.be/TykAgSqMA4I&t=4239
Independent veterinarian (testifying witness)
– Role or jurisdiction: Hired by DOH to perform clinical exams under a pilot program. Source: https://youtu.be/TykAgSqMA4I&t=13765
– Action taken or responsibility: Reported conducting truncated clinical exams and identified specific health and welfare concerns. Source: https://youtu.be/TykAgSqMA4I&t=13765
– Relevant numbers or dates: Stated he was commissioned to examine 16 horses during the prior year. Source: https://youtu.be/TykAgSqMA4I&t=13765
The independent examinations and DOH pilot
An independent equine veterinarian told the committee he was commissioned by the Department of Health to perform clinical exams of carriage horses during a DOH pilot. He said owners did not comply with two critical examination components: blood testing and a complete lameness evaluation. Source: https://youtu.be/TykAgSqMA4I&t=13765
That same witness said two owners failed to present their horses for examination, limiting the scope of his work. He described the exams that were completed as “truncated” because of noncompliance and the stable environment. Source: https://youtu.be/TykAgSqMA4I&t=13765
Clinical findings the independent veterinarian reported included widespread old scars on horses’ backs consistent with ill‑fitting tack and gear, insufficient dental care, and lameness visible even at a walk. He said the lack of natural pasture access for the horses was his biggest concern. Source: https://youtu.be/TykAgSqMA4I&t=13765
DOH’s description of the pilot and contracting
DOH officials told the committee the late‑2025 pilot looked at a limited sample and that the agency’s pilot assessments were completed for 12 horses. They described routine inspections of stables, reviews of paperwork, and periodic stand observations. Source: https://youtu.be/TykAgSqMA4I&t=4636 https://youtu.be/TykAgSqMA4I&t=3366
DOH said it put out a solicitation broadly to equine veterinarians in New York State and surrounding states and that the solicitation produced one response. The agency declined to release the names of the contracted equine veterinarians in committee testimony. Source: https://youtu.be/TykAgSqMA4I&t=3462 https://youtu.be/TykAgSqMA4I&t=6121
Agency oversight duties and limits
DOH explained the administrative code requires owners’ veterinarians to certify horse fitness every four to eight months and that the agency reviews those certifications. The agency also described directing owners to have their veterinarians assess a horse when DOH has reason to doubt fitness, during which the horse must be out of service. Source: https://youtu.be/TykAgSqMA4I&t=5740 https://youtu.be/TykAgSqMA4I&t=3366
DOH told the committee it has six inspectors who work on the carriage industry as part of broader animal‑related programs. Source: https://youtu.be/TykAgSqMA4I&t=4239
Questions about conflicts of interest and disciplinary records
Committee members asked whether DOH vets or owner‑hired vets had conflicts of interest or past disciplinary records. DOH said the veterinarians who certify horses as fit are hired by owners and are not DOH veterinarians; DOH declined to provide their names at the hearing and offered to communicate privately. Source: https://youtu.be/TykAgSqMA4I&t=6121
Testimony before the committee also named a veterinarian with a documented disciplinary history: speakers said a commission had sanctioned that veterinarian at least seven times, suspended him from the track twice, and that the New York State Board for Veterinary Medicine found professional misconduct in 2020, resulting in a two‑year suspended stay of his license. That testimony was offered to argue concerns about transparency in using veterinarians with past sanctions. Source: https://youtu.be/TykAgSqMA4I&t=24993
Limits of clinical exams and urban risk
The independent veterinarian and other witnesses emphasized that a veterinary examination is a snapshot in time and cannot predict future medical events or fully remove the risks posed by dense urban environments. The veterinarian said New York City’s noise, traffic, and unpredictable stimuli create inherent challenges for horse welfare that veterinary care and training cannot entirely eliminate. Source: https://youtu.be/TykAgSqMA4I&t=14182 https://youtu.be/TykAgSqMA4I&t=13765
What the committee requested next
Council members asked DOH for records and counts the agency did not have at the hearing, including counts of inspections per horse before recent deaths, totals of horses removed from service for medical concerns over five years, and a breakdown of stable‑condition violations. DOH said it would provide additional information after the hearing. Source: https://youtu.be/TykAgSqMA4I&t=6023 https://youtu.be/TykAgSqMA4I&t=3366
Source: https://youtu.be/TykAgSqMA4I&t=3366 https://youtu.be/TykAgSqMA4I&t=13765
Reporting notes
This article is drawn from testimony and exchanges at the New York City Council Health Committee hearing on July 15, 2026. It cites DOH agency statements and witness testimony recorded in the official hearing video. Source: https://youtu.be/TykAgSqMA4I&t=3366
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