The Wild Horses of the Sheldon Wildlife Refuge: A Historical Overview

The Sheldon Wildlife Refuge, located in the remote and rugged corner of northwestern Nevada, offers a glimpse into a landscape untouched bylivestockgrazing. This lush and beautiful ecosystem is home to wild horses and burros, whose ancestors served as America's War Horses in battles as cavalry remounts and artillery draft horses through World War I. Despite their historical significance, these wild herds face eradication under a controversial conservation plan.

In September 2012, the refuge adopted aComprehensive Conservation Planaimed at removing all wild horses and burros from the refuge within five years. By 2013, the plan accelerated, targeting the removal of 200 burros and 800 horses in just two years.

On September 14, 2013, the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) initiated Phase I of this plan byrounding up approximately 415 wild horses via helicopter stampede. The Sheldon Refuge has ahistory of laundering wild horsesthrough adoption contractors to slaughterhouses. Despite previous investigations, the FWS continued to contract with Stan Palmer of J&S Associates in Mississippi, who had been unable to account for many horses in past dealings.

In June 2014, the Sheldon Refugeannouncedplans to round up the remaining 70 burros and 420 wild horses. Under pressure fromCongressand the public, the Refuge canceled its contract with Palmer and sought new adoption contractors.

Documents

• Powerpoint Presentation on the Sheldon Wildlife RefugeUpdated: July 1, 2014
• Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge Use of Slaughter Middleman to Dispose of 500 Wild HorsesUpdated: July 1, 2014
• History of the Sheldon Horses
• Letter to Interior Secretary Sally Jewell

Media

• Sheldon Refuge Announces Burro & Horse Roundups & RemovalHerald & News, 2014
• Horse Preservation Group Alleges Pelahatchie Man Remains 'Slaughterhouse Middleman'Clarion Ledger, 2013
• Hearing on U.S. Wild Horse Fight to Go Ahead Despite Shutdown, Associated Press, 2013
• 1st Amendment Cited in Nevada Wild Horse Court FightAssociated Press, 2013
• Anger Over Plan to Remove All Horses from RefugeHorsetalk.co.nz, 2013
• Wildlife Refuge in NV to Remove All Wild Horses, Associated Press, 2012
• Advocates Condemn Mustang Roundup at Sheldon Refuge, Reno Gazette Journal, 2010

Press Releases

• Taps for America's War Horses at Nevada Wildlife Refuge
• Senate Investigation Sought for Federal Agency Misuse of Tax Dollars on Laundering Scheme to Send Wild Horse to Slaughter Pipeline
• Gov't Shutdown Doesn't Stop Feds From Sending Wild Horses to Slaughter Middleman
• Federal Agencies Contradict Obama Administration Anti-Horse Slaughter Stand; Send Wild Horses Into Slaughter Pipeline
• Feds to Send 240 Captured NV Mustangs to Slaughter Middleman Next Month
• 17,000 Citizens Protest Feds' Plan to Roundup & Send NV Wild Horses to Slaughter Pipeline
• Coalition Blasts Refuge on Wild Horse Elimination Plan
• Feds Plan to Eradicate America's War Horses from Sheldon Refuge in NW Nevada
• Coalition Blasts Refuge on Wild Horse Elimination Plan