The Nevada Board of Agriculture voted 8-1, with one member absent, Tuesday, in favor of transferring ownership of the approximately 3,000 Virginia range feral horses to a nonprofit group.
Via satellite conference, dozens piled into the Department of Agriculture office in Sparks, tuned in to the live Las Vegas board meeting. After hours of public comment, board members came to a decision--transferring ownership of the Virginia Range feral horses to a private, nonprofit group.
David Stix, one of the board members, says such a group can better manage horses 'without the hindrance of state law.' Stix adds, "They have the ability to feed and water them, we just do not have the staff or the money to build a feeder, water horses."
This decision came despite an overwhelming show of public opposition. Reno City Councilwoman Naomi Duerr spoke at the meeting, recommending a cooperative agreement between horse advocates and the Department of Agriculture be given a second chance.
Seeing as how that did not happen today, she now wants safety measures in place for the new motion. Duerr says, "Put conditions within the contract to ensure the success of the program, I think that is the overwhelming concern that I've heard."
Wild horse advocates agree some kind of oversight is needed. Suzanne Roy, Executive Director for the American Wild Horse Campaign says, "A private owner who will then have absolute private property rights to do whatever they want with those horses, including send them to slaughter."
The board says they hope to prevent that. Stix says, "We have a responsibility to make sure the animals are treated in a humane manner."
However, once the state transfers ownership, advocates fear there is not much the state can do. Roy explains, "Once you transfer ownership of the horses over, the public no longer has a say in how they're managed."
Many also voiced their frustration over the board's quick decision, saying they felt ignored, to which Stix maintains was not the case.
Stix says they will open submissions up to all interested nonprofit groups before making a decision, which he says may take six weeks or more.
Currently, there is no cost estimate for this transfer.
The AWHC says they will pursue legal and political action over this decision. Until an official transfer is made, the Virginia Range horses will remain as they are.
ORIGINAL STORY-----
Back in October, the Nevada Board of Agriculture terminated its cooperative agreement with the American Wild Horse Preservation Campaign. The item was first on their agenda.
It reads, in part, "The Nevada Board of Agriculture directs The Nevada Department of Agriculture to transfer ownership of all feral, estray horses, commonly known as the Virginia estrays...to a nonprofit animal advocate organization through a request for proposal process..."
An advocate who works closely with the AWHC, Louise Martin, says she fears the worst, "Management is one thing, but transferring title of 3,000 horses that have lived on this range for hundreds of years, it's just not even acceptable. There's nowhere for them to go, I mean, you can't put them anywhere else."
The Tahoe-Reno Industrial Center has also voiced strong opposition to this proposal, arguing that the feral horses are a draw to businesses. Kris Thompson, Project Manager at TRIC, says "These companies respect places that have great environmental management."
Thompson also notes the benefit to the economy--with tourists who visit specifically to see these horses. That includes one woman from California, who was out at the range on Monday, photographing the horses for what she fears may be one of the last times.
Terrie Gray fought back tears when talking about her hopes for her grandchildren to one day experience visiting the Virginia Range horses. She continued, "If today is the last day that it's possible to see the wild horses, that's a dream denied."
Director Jim Barbee, with the Department of Agriculture said, in part, in a statement to us on Monday, "The action item hasn't been discussed by the board yet, so there are some details I intend to clarify on the record tomorrow during the meeting...Our focus has not changed: our priority is to find the best solution for the protection of public safety and the horses."
Wild horse advocates say they simply want to have AWHC's cooperative agreement with the department, reinstated. They say any issues that have arisen, can be "ironed out."
The American Wild Horse Campaign (AWHC) issued the following statement:
"The unelected members of the Board of Agriculture just voted to give away Nevada's historic Virginia Range horses to a private owner who will be free do do what it wants with them, including sending them to slaughter. This goes against the wishes of the public and the northern Nevada business community which want these horses protected. It also violates Nevada law and the stated intent of the legislature and the governor to protect and manage these horses in conjunction with non profit organizations. Nothing in the law authorizes the department to give away these horses. The Board made this radical change under the law without any staff or legal analysis and failed to inform the board members of the issue of legality surrounding this proposal.
Over 100 citizens turned out to the meeting to oppose this action, as did the Northern Nevada business community represented by the Tahoe Reno Industrial Center and Bently Enterprises. The Board turned its back on the wishes of the public and the business community and if the giveaway goes forward, the public will have no voice in the management of these treasured natural resources. The American Wild Horse Campaign is committed to fighting this undemocratic action through every available avenue. This decision is bad for Nevada taxpayers and bad for Nevada business and we call on Governor Sandoval to reverse it."
