Termination of Virginia Range Wild Horse Agreement

Virginia Range Wild Horse Agreement Terminated

The Virginia Range has been home to wild horses for over a century, but recent developments have led to a shrinking habitat. A 2015 agreement between the Nevada Department of Agriculture and the American Wild Horse Conservation (formerly American Wild Horse Preservation Campaign) aimed to mitigate such issues. However, the agreement has now been terminated, raising concerns about the future of these iconic animals.

Background of the Agreement

Horses on the Virginia Range have been part of the landscape for more than a century. However, with development in the area, their habitat is slowly getting smaller and smaller. Just last month, four horses were killed at Rio Wrangler and Veterans Parkway. Such incidents were supposed to be mitigated after a 2015 agreement between the Nevada Department of Agriculture and the American Wild Horse Conservation (formerly American Wild Horse Preservation Campaign).

Efforts by Wild Horse Advocates

Maureen Daane with Wild Horse Connection has been actively involved in monitoring and protecting these horses. “I was out monitoring a band for two hours ensuring that they stayed off the road,” says Daane. She emphasizes the importance of redirecting horses to safer areas to prevent accidents.

The Wild Horse Connection works closely with the American Wild Horse Conservation (formerly American Wild Horse Preservation Campaign). Daane notes the challenges of managing a range that encompasses 600 miles. Protecting the horses and residents was just part of the agreement, which also included fertility control, adoption, and strategies to reduce human-horse conflicts.

Termination of the Agreement

According to the NDA, the American Wild Horse Conservation was primarily focused on fertility control. “They only wanted to participate in the fertility control portion,” says Doug Ferris, Nevada Department of Agriculture Animal Industry Division Administrator. As a result, the NDA terminated the contract as of November 25.

Anna Orchard from Virginia Range Sanctuary expressed relief at the termination, citing issues with horses migrating into urban areas and increased injuries among the horses.

Response from the American Wild Horse Conservation

Deniz Bolbol from the American Wild Horse Conservation claims the NDA was not transparent about the contract's termination. She argues that the NDA restricted local groups from fulfilling other contract duties and did not communicate any issues with horse management.

Bolbol also mentions that she was not allowed to present the annual report and that her attempts to contact NDA officials, including Governor Brian Sandoval, were ignored. “We are all devastated. We all want this to work out,” says Daane, hoping for a resolution before the end of November.

The Department of Agriculture was aware of the American Wild Horse Conservation’s intent to modify the cooperative agreement in July 2016. An annual year-end report on the management of the Virginia Range Horses was due in March 2017. The department cites management changes and limited staff as reasons for the delay in addressing the situation.

With feral horses entering urban areas, the department stresses the need for a new agreement to ensure public safety.

Originally posted by KOLO TV