Nevada Agriculture Board May Transfer Ownership of Wild Horses
Wild horse advocates are raising alarms over a proposal by the Nevada Board of Agriculture to transfer ownership of thousands of Northern Nevada's free-range horses to a non-profit group. The move could potentially lead to mistreatment or even slaughter of these animals.
The proposal is scheduled for discussion on the Tuesday agenda for the Nevada Board of Agriculture, which oversees the free-range horses in the Virginia Range near Reno.
The agenda item suggests that the board vote on transferring the state's interest in the horses to a "non-profit animal advocate organization." However, the online agenda lacks further documentation to support the idea or explain the transfer process.
This lack of clarity has horse advocates concerned about the fate of the estimated 3,000 horses in the Virginia Range.
"There is no humane group that could take this on," said Deniz Bolbol, communications director for the American Wild Horse Conservation (formerly American Wild Horse Campaign). "This would destroy all the horses."
The proposal, put forth by board Vice Chairman Boyd Spratling, follows public disputes between Nevada Department of Agriculture officials and Bolbol's group, which had previously collaborated with the state to manage the horses humanely.
The department ended the agreement on Oct. 25, citing the non-profit's failure to meet its obligations. Bolbol refuted this, claiming the department undermined her group by allowing unauthorized individuals to conduct management activities that conflicted with established protocols. The group had employed birth control, adoptions, and other humane measures to control the horse population.
Jim Barbee, director of the department, stated that if the board votes in favor of the ownership transfer, the department would issue a request for proposals from groups interested in owning the horses.
"If the agenda item passes, and an RFP process leads to a transfer of ownership to an animal advocate group, horses in the Virginia Range will be identified by our staff via a helicopter census, and transfer of ownership documentation would be provided to that organization," Barbee explained via email.
It remains unclear whether the non-profit would manage the horses on the range or relocate them.
Horses in the Virginia Range are considered wild but are categorized as feral or estray by the Nevada Department of Agriculture, which governs their management. This classification means federal laws that protect wild horses from slaughter do not apply to Virginia Range horses.
Bolbol expressed concern that state disavowal of ownership could lead to slaughter, a topic Spratling and other board members have previously discussed.
"It is a model for people who want to send horses to slaughter, which is what this board has been talking about for years," she said.
Opposition to the proposal extends beyond full-time horse advocates. On Saturday, Lance Gilman, principal and director of the Tahoe Reno Industrial Center, joined the opposition. The industrial park is home to projects by Tesla, Google, Switch, and other major companies.
"This is one of the last bastions of true wild horse environment," said Kris Thompson, project manager for the industrial center. "To wipe it out I think would be a mistake." Thompson estimated that up to 1,000 Virginia Range horses are on the industrial center's property at any given time.
Thompson noted that leaders of companies in the area, including Tesla's Elon Musk, have described the horses as a positive presence that distinguishes Northern Nevada from other business locations.
"They are emblematic of the fact we are not San Francisco or Chicago," Thompson said.
The Agriculture Board meeting is scheduled for 8 a.m. in Las Vegas, with video teleconference connections in Elko and Sparks. Locations are listed below:
Meeting location:
Nevada Department of Agriculture
2300 East St. Louis Avenue
Las Vegas, NV 89104
702-668-4590
Video conference:
Nevada Department of Agriculture
405 South 21st Street
Sparks, NV 89431
775-353-3601
Nevada Department of Agriculture
4780 East Idaho Street
Elko, NV 89801
775-778-0270
Originally posted by Reno Gazette-Journal