Nevada Urges Public to Avoid Interfering with Horse Roundups

Horse roundups continue in the Virginia Range between Reno and Fernley, and the Nevada Department of Agriculture reminds the public that it is illegal to interfere with these operations. The department emphasizes the importance of safety for both the public and the horses.

Since August, approximately 58 estray horses have been gathered in an area roughly bounded by Reno and Fernley, Interstate 80, and U.S. 50, according to Bob Conrad, a public information officer with the Department of Agriculture. These horses fall under state jurisdiction as they do not have federal protection.

The state sets traps to catch horses in areas where they pose a danger to the public or themselves, Conrad explained. "We've had pretty regular tampering of traps," Conrad said. "We've had people physically interfering. And we've had some of the gather operations sabotaged." The state prefers to let the horses remain wild and will only gather them when they pose a risk.

The state will also investigate reports of horses being fed illegally. A group called Return to Freedom has an agreement with the state to have the first right to adopt and place gathered horses.

Kelly Hyatt, a local wild horse advocate, mentioned efforts to negotiate a second phase of an agreement with the state to allow feeding and watering of horses on the hillside to divert them from homes. However, negotiations have stalled. Advocates continue to guide horses out of neighborhoods, Hyatt said. She had been using hay to lead horses away but was informed by a brand inspector that this constitutes feeding, which is prohibited.

"We're trying to keep the horses from going into the trap, but we don't let them out," Hyatt said. The horses seem to be coming down for water and to eat green lawns and apples. "Since we can't do diversionary feeding up in the hill, when we do get them up there, they just walk back down," she added.

Originally Posted By RGJ