Protesters Urge Governor Sandoval to Stop Wild Horse Auction
About 40 sign-carrying wild horse advocates marched in front of the Legislative Building in Carson City, urging Governor Brian Sandoval to block a February 9 auction of 41 state-owned stray horses. The protesters delivered 2,000 signatures to the governor's office, demanding an end to the auction. However, Sandoval's press secretary, Mary-Sarah Kinner, stated that the governor wants to review the issue before commenting.
Bonnie Matton, president of the Wild Horse Preservation Society, expressed the advocates' willingness to take responsibility for the horses, feed them, and find them homes if the auction is canceled. "We will do this for free," Matton stated, emphasizing that numerous wild horse organizations participated in the protest. "It won't cost the state money. They work for us. They should know we want answers. Now we cannot even go rescue injured foals. They won't talk to us."
Unlike wild horses on federally-managed lands, these animals are not protected by law. They are among the 2,500 horses found on private and state lands near Virginia City, with dozens killed each year in accidents with motor vehicles. Under state law, they are referred to as "estray horses" and are owned by the state, with no law preventing them from being sold for slaughter.
Ed Foster, a Department of Wildlife spokesman, mentioned that he does not know if Sandoval has the authority to block the auction. The agency followed state law by publishing notices for the horses' adoption at $90 each, allowing potential owners to claim them. Since no one claimed the horses, the next step is the auction.
The wild horse advocates plan to attend the auction to buy every horse, fearing they might be sold to buyers who will send them to slaughterhouses in Mexico or Canada for human consumption in Europe or Asia. At past auctions, Matton noted that state "shills" deliberately bid against them, raising the price from $90 to as much as $600 per horse.
Foster acknowledged that someone bid up the price at past auctions but denied state involvement, attributing it to the auctioneer and others. He also mentioned that while horse advocates receive attention, many residents complain about horses in their yards, demanding state intervention. The horses are taken to a corral at the Northern Nevada Correctional Center in Carson City, where some are trained by inmates.
Terri Farley, a Washoe County novelist known for "The Phantom Stallion" series, emphasized that the advocates want to prevent the auctions and are willing to take the horses off the state's hands for free. "It is not going to cost Nevadans anything," Farley stated.
Originally Posted By The Las Vegas Review Journal