John DiLeonardo (Humane Long Island) testifies on vet's disciplinary history
John DiLeonardo of Humane Long Island testifies about the industry's refusal of independent vet exams, and reveals that Dr. Camillo Sierra, the industry's vet, has been sanctioned seven times by the NY State Gaming Commission for falsified health certificates and fraud.
I am an anthrozoologist and the executive director of Humane Long Island, serving every borough and performing much of New York City's farm and exotic animal rescue.
Romanch's law exists because the status quo has already claimed too many victims.
We lost Ryder, we lost Denise, we lost 18-year-old Romanch Mahajan.
The question before the council is whether those tragedies will finally lead to meaningful change.
Today, you've heard from many proponents of the carriage horse industry, and possibly still, you may hear from fellow Long Islander, Dr.
Camillo Sierra, urging you to trust that this industry can regulate itself.
Before you do, I ask that you consider who is asking you for that trust.
The carriage horse industry has repeatedly refused to allow its horses to be examined by independent veterinarians.
Instead, it asks its council to rely on veterinarians like Dr.
Sierra, who also serves as the NYPD's veterinarian.
Dr.
Sierra has been disciplined repeatedly by New York State regulators.
The New York State Gaming Commission sanctioned him at least seven times and suspended him from the horse track twice in matters involving falsified health certificates, fraud, corruption, and administering medication to a racehorse he never examined.
In 2020,
The New York State Board for Veterinary Medicine also found him guilty of professional misconduct for failing to properly document the examination and treatment of a horse, resulting in a two-year suspended stay of his veterinary license.
When an industry refuses independent veterinary examinations while asking policymakers to rely on a veterinarian with that disciplinary history, transparency is absent and public confidence is impossible.
Ramacha's law provides a responsible path forward.
It phases out horse-drawn carriages, protects carriage horses by prohibiting their sale for slaughter or transfer to another carriage operation, and establishes a workforce development program to help affected workers transition to new employment.
I respectfully urge you to pass Ramach's law.
Thank you.
Thank you both very much.
Appreciate it.
Okay, next panel, Nicole Grievey, Daniel
Chaplis, I'm not sure.
Okay.
Alberto Urzi, I-R or V, Urzi.
And Lenore Quadrosi.
Nope.
I'll read the list one more time.
Nicole Grievey, Danielle Marie Chaplis, Alberto Verzi, and Lenore Quadrosi.
Okay.
So just state your name for the record and go ahead.
Nicole Rivard from Friends of Animals.
We were founded in New York in 1957.