The Bureau of Land Management is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible for shooting and killing a wild horse in early October 2015 at the Northern Nevada Correctional Center, near Carson City, Nevada.
The BLM currently manages thousands of wild horses in accordance with the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971, which gives the agency a mandate to protect and manage the animals. The Northern Nevada Correctional Center/Stewart Conservation Camp Saddle Horse and Burro Training Program is a cooperative partnership between the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the Nevada Department of Corrections-Silver State Industries. Through this training program, wild horses and burros are gentled and trained before being adopted. About 60 wild horses and burros are trained and adopted at the facility each year. Currently, the Northern Nevada Correctional Center horse program houses and maintains approximately 1,500 BLM horses.
Individuals with information about this incident are encouraged to call the BLM crime hotline phone number at: 1-800-521-6501
By U.S. Government [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
BLM Extends the Public Comment Period for the Carson City District Draft Resource Management Plan/Environmental Impact Statement for Another 30 Days
Carson City, Nev. – Nevada Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Acting State Director John Ruhs announced today that he will extend the current public comment period for the Carson City District Draft Resource Management Plan (RMP) and Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) an additional 30 days. The extended timeframe means that the comment period on the Draft RMP/EIS, which is currently set to close April 27, 2015, will now close on May 27, 2015.
This is the second 30-day extension making the full comment period an unprecedented 180 days.
“We felt that another extension was warranted to allow the public plenty of time to analyze the important resource issues considered in this plan,” said Ruhs.
Once finalized, the Carson City District RMP will provide management direction for the 4.8 million acres of public land in western Nevada and eastern California managed by the Carson City District. The five alternatives in the Draft RMP/EIS offer a range of approaches to achieve and maintain desired resource conditions in the area over the coming 15 to 20 years. The Draft RMP/EIS addresses some of the following issues: Areas of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC), lands and realty, utility corridors, wind energy, travel management, recreation, lands with wilderness characteristics, minerals, wild and scenic rivers, and visual resource management.
Written comments related to the Carson City District Draft RMP/Draft EIS may be submitted by any of the following methods:
• Website: http://on.doi.gov/1uYBNGT
• E-mail: BLM_NV_CCDO_RMP@blm.gov
• Fax: (775) 885-6147
• Mail: BLM Carson City District, Attn: CCD RMP, 5665 Morgan Mill Rd., Carson City, NV 89701.
Individuals or groups that have already submitted comments during the first 150 days may submit supplementary comments through then end of the open period.
Copies of the Carson City District Draft RMP/EIS are available in the Carson City District Office at the above address or on the following website: http://on.doi.gov/1uYBNGT.
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Carson City District (CCD) announces a public hearing session on the Carson City District Draft Resource Management Plan (RMP). Speakers will be required to sign in to speak. There will be a three (3) minute time limit for each speaker and a court reporter will be present to document all public comments. Public hearing comments will be incorporated into the official record and will be included in the final document. BLM managers and staff will be available from 5-5:45pm to interact with the public and answer questions. The formal public hearing will begin at 6pm. The public hearing will take place Thursday March 19, 2015 6-8:30p.m. in the Churchill County Commission Chamber, 155 N. Taylor St., Fallon, Nevada.
The BLM Carson City District Draft Resource Management Plan (RMP) and Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) public review and comment began on November 28, 2014 and will end on April 27, 2015.
Pine Nut wild horses between Carson City and Dayton, NV on 2/13/15
Only 332 Pine Nut wild horses left on more than 90,000 acres of public land set aside for their principal but not exclusive use and BLM still wants to decimate the herd.
Protect Mustangs went out on the Pine Nut range, near Carson City, last Friday after the judge’s ruling and found less wild horses than we hoped we would. This herd is probably the most famous herd in Nevada from the film The Misfits, starring Clark Gable and Marilyn Monroe.
We are grateful to have found the Pine Nut wild horses living in peace and harmony on their native land. For now they escaped the cruel roundup, forced drugging, removals and tearing apart of families forever. Thanks to Friends of Animals’ & Protect Mustangs’ Pine Nut lawsuit–currently active in federal court–these wild horses won’t be shipped off to sordid holding pens without shade or shelter from the elements. Those over 10-years-old won’t be shipped to slaughter while we continue to fight in court for what’s right.
Protect the Pine Nut Herd T-Shirts are still available here https://www.booster.com/protectpinenutwildhorses so you can show your support and wear the message when you visit your Congressional Representative to update them on the wild horse crisis in the West
Wild horses must never be forced to live in zoo-like settings with humans running a PZP-based breeding program–abolishing the survival of the fittest. This would manage them to extinction.
There is a lot of misinformation and fear mongering going around about our Pine Nut lawsuit. Some Spin Dr.s are making false claims to confuse the public and their followers about the PZP issue within our lawsuit.
Here are the facts: PZP doesn’t stop roundups. The BLM would need to roundup the herd with helicopters to give them the EPA approved pesticide–made from slaughterhouse pig ovaries–known as PZP. Then they would use that as an excuse to rip 200 wild horses from their native land–never to return. Today the herd is underpopulated on the range. When nature’s balance is disrupted and there aren’t enough left to help eat the grass, then catastrophic wildfires will occur. The BLM’s chosen management number for the Pine Nut wild horses is outrageously low.
What the Spin Dr.s really don’t want you to know is that PZP sterilizes after multiple use. You might want to read the truth about the lawsuit, directly from the court and government documents below:
We are so grateful justice is unfolding in court but the wild ones need your help.
The Pine Nut wild horses are very, very happy they have been spared for now. It’s essential to get technical services for court evidence to keep them free and safe in the wild. If you would like to take direct action to help these wild horses continue to live in freedom, please make your tax-deductible donation today right here: http://www.gofundme.com/lqsy50 and please share this post widely. Thank you, because it takes a village.
BLM refused to hear public comments at “public” meeting
MINDEN, NV (January 22, 2015)—Edita Birnkrant, Campaigns Director for Friends of Animals (FoA) flew out from New York City with FoA correspondent Nicole Rivard to give public comments at the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) public meeting about the Carson City District Draft Resource Management Plan which calls to zero out 6 treasured herds of wild horses. After being denied her rights at the public meeting, held at the Carson Valley Inn in Minden, Nevada this afternoon, Birnkrant took over the microphone at the BLM meeting and held up yellow crime scene tape while Rivard filmed the protest against censorship and managing wild horses to extinction. Birnkrant was threatened with arrest by Nevada Sheriffs while holding up her banner. The hotel manager made Rivard stop filming and told the advocates they were being thrown out of the hotel, even though they had booked rooms there that night.
Statement from Edita Birnkrant:
“While we were waiting to go into the meeting a man told a BLM staffer “I wanna open up a horse butcher shop”. Then a few other guys started making jokes about how tender horse meat is. The BLM guy just chuckled but didn’t tell them it was inappropriate.
I was outraged that the BLM dared to hold a “public ” meeting and forbid the public from speaking. I took over the microphone to call out the sham of a BLM meeting, that shut out the public, and I said that Friends of Animals was there tonight to oppose the BLM’s extinction plan for wild horses in Nevada. I said the BLM is managing wild horses to extinction through roundups and PZP and we are outraged and demand it stop. I held our banner that said “Stop the BLM’s Criminal Reign of Terror. Protect Wild Horses Under the Endangered Species Act” The sheriffs were surrounding me at that point threatening to arrest me unless I left. I still had the banner and was shouting “the BLM is charged with crimes against wild horses”.
Then the hotel manager at the Carson Valley Inn in Minden, Nevada—Phil Dohrn–started bullying us and got in Nicole’s face. He pushed against her—blocking the camera and told her she had to shut her video off and we were getting thrown out.
Three extremely hostile sheriffs and the Carson Valley Inn manager escorted us to our rooms and waited outside while we packed our bags. They pounded on the door to hurry us or they’d arrest us. They called additional sheriffs to the hotel during all this. We left the hotel shocked that the Carson Valley Inn treats paying guests who exercise their First Amendment rights in their meeting room like this.”
The federal plan for public land in the Reno/Carson area is of interest to all Americans from coast to coast. Citizens care about public land and want federally protected wild horses protected by the law that allows them to roam freely without harassment.
Friends of Animals, an international animal protection organization founded in 1957, advocates for the rights of animals, free-living and domestic around the world. www.friendsofanimals.org
# # #
Friends of Animals’ public comments that advocates were not allowed to read and were given to Collen Sievers the BLM BLM Project Manager for Carson City District at the public hearing on the draft resource management plan for Carson City District
Edita Birnkrant, FoA’s campaigns director 917-940-2725
The opinion of the American public, as declared through Congress is clear: “wild free-roaming horses and burros are living symbols of the historic and pioneer spirit of the West; they contribute to the diversity of life forms within the Nation and enrich the lives of the American people.” BLM has an obligation to consider wild horses as an integral part of the natural system of public lands.
It appears from the Carson City’s Draft Resource Management Plan (RMP) and Environmental Impact Statement that the BLM failed to take into consideration critical information about wild horses and failed to consider any alternatives that promote a free and viable wild horse population.
Friends of Animal is here to urge BLM to reevaluate its Resource Management Plan.
We ask that BLM consider an alternative that: (1) maintains all wild horse herd management areas; (2) prohibits conflicting uses on herd management areas; and (3) prohibits efforts to eradicate wild horses, such as round-ups, fertility control and sterilization. BLM must take into consideration the small population of wild horses and the potential that they will be listed as a threatened or endangered species under the Federal Endangered Species Act. From a scientific perspective, wild horses on our public lands are at risk of extinction if BLM does not change its management plans.
BLM does not provide adequate area for wild horses. Under the current RMP, approximately 4.8 million acres of public lands covered by the plan are open for private ranchers to graze cattle and sheep while only 1.2 million acres are reserved for wild horses. In the preferred alternative the ratio or area available for cattle and sheep grazing is also more than 4 times that available for wild horses.
Moreover, under no alternative, are cattle and sheep prohibited from grazing on wild horse herd management areas. BLM must consider an alternative that provides contiguous habitat for wild horses to roam freely.
Second, all alternatives for the proposed Resource Management Plan allows BLM to continue managing horses at artificially low populations, or appropriate management levels. This results in expensive, and cruel round-ups that tear the wild horses from their homes and families and place them in tax funded holding facilities. This is one of the largest threat to wild horses on U.S. lands. Experts have warned that the “majority of wild equid populations managed by the BLM are kept at population sizes that are small enough for the loss of genetic variation to be a real concern.”
The Equid Specialist Group of IUCN Species Survival Commission recommends minimum populations of 2,500 individuals for the conservation of genetic diversity. Others have warned that populations managed with a target size of fewer than 500 horses are at some risk of losing more than 90 percent of selective neutral genetic variation over a period of 200 years.
There are no herds that have a large enough population to meet the recommendation of the IUCN Species Survival Commission – 2,500 animals—and only 1 out of 17 of the herd management areas in this planning area has an appropriate management level set to 500 or more. Limiting horses to an artificially low number is short-sighted and ineffective because it could prompt short-term population growth.
Finally, Friends of Animals submitted a petition to the US Fish and Wildlife Service asking it to recognize wild horses as threatened or endangered. The Endangered Species Act requires the government to make final determination on the petition within 12 months – which would be this June. The BLM should not undermine this legal process by allowing BLM to round-up and remove wild horses from Carson City herd management areas. Not only would such actions undermine the Endangered Species Act, but they would also put the viability of the horses here at risk. Instead the plan should recommend BLM halt all efforts to remove wild horses, and allow Fish and Wildlife Service to review the law and facts in regards to wild horses. Nicole Rivard, correspondent, FoA 203-910-1217
As my colleague just pointed out, all but one of the 17 herd management areas in the Carson City District has an appropriate management level set to 500 or more. Everywhere else the loss of genetic viability is a real concern. So additional roundups, which destroy social structure that can lead to population spikes, as well as consideration of administering fertility control, should be removed from this Carson City District Plan immediately if not sooner.
While some wild horse advocates may claim fertility control drugs, such as PZP, is the lesser of two evils, we at FoA believe birth control is equally harmful and inhumane as roundups. In most cases—even the BLM admits this—wild horses would still have to be captured to be treated with the pesticide before being released.
The widespread use of PZP is really very contrary to the true core intent of the Wild Horse and Burro Act of 1971, which was to restore wild horses as naturally, integrated, harmonious components of the public land ecosystem who are not overly tampered with. Deciding which animal should give birth or not is a very invasive, unacceptable thing to do to these wild animals.
Studies have revealed adverse effects of PZP— that it sterilizes wild horses after multiple uses and results in risky foal birth out of season and significant behavioral changes that can affect the health of the herd.
BLM’s discussion regarding a population control program in the EIS is inaccurate and unsupported. They claim fertility control limits the stress of pregnancy on mares, and helps stallions as they will not be exerting extra energy fighting to control mares or raising foals.
What about the stress on mares of not being able to get pregnant as nature intended!
We urge the BLM to look beyond data provided by the Humane Society of the United States, which has a vested interest in PZP as it is the registrant of the pesticide, and Jay Kirkpatrick, the director of the Science and Conservation Center, which produces the active ingredient in PZP. For instance a 2009 Princeton University study of the horses on Shackleford Banks in North Carolina, who began getting PZP in 2000, showed that prolonged infertility has significant consequences on social behavior.
Researchers found that females who were receiving contraception were much more likely to change groups. Normally bands are really very stable, said researcher Cassandra Nunez, and mares will stay with males much if not all of their lives. That stability is really important for the health of the group members. Foal mortality increases when there are a bunch of different changes, and parasite load of animals in the group can go up because they are getting more stressed.
In a later study in 2010, Nunez found that recipients of PZP also extend the receptive breeding period into what is normally the non-breeding season, resulting in foal birth out of season.
Normally the winter is spent eating as much as they can, and everyone is more relaxed. Males tend to let females roam farther, which is good because food is patchier. So all of this is changing because of extended cycling.
Nunez also noted it’s taking a while for the contracepted mares, who were taken off PZP in 2009, to respond physiologically. So that flexibility that you think you have with PZP…it’s not really that flexible.”
It is imperative that BLM reduce the number of cattle and sheep allowed to graze on public lands, as well as consider holistic resource management plan, such as reserve design, which is described in detail in Craig Downer’s Book the Wild Horse Conspiracy. Both options would adequately protect these majestic animals so that they can persist for future generations.
Friends of Animals, an international animal protection organization founded in 1957, advocates for the rights of animals, free-living and domestic around the world. www.friendsofanimals.org
# # #
BLM Nevada News CARSON CITY DISTRICT OFFICE NO. CCDO 2015-11 FOR RELEASE: November 28, 2014
CONTACT: Lisa Ross, 775-885-6107, lross@blm.gov
Draft Resource Management Plan Environmental Impact Statement Available for
BLM Carson City District
Carson City, Nev. – The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is asking the public to review and comment on a Draft Resource Management Plan (RMP) and Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Carson City District. The draft plan will affect approximately 4.8 million acres of public land. The comment period opened with the publication of a notice of availability in the Federal Register on November 28, 2014. Comments will be accepted during a 120-day period which closes March 27, 2015.
Public meetings to review and comment on the draft EIS will be announced at least 15 days in advance in local newspapers and on the BLM website.
The plan will address: Areas of Critical Environmental Concern, lands and realty, utility corridors, wind energy, travel management, recreation, fish and wildlife, minerals, wild and scenic rivers, public health and safety, and visual resource management.
Public meetings on the Draft RMP/Draft EIS are currently scheduled for 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.; on January 13, at the John Ascuaga’s Nugget (1100 Nugget Ave.) in Sparks, Nev.; on January 15, at the Fallon Convention Center (100 Campus Way) in Fallon, Nev.; on January 20, at the Mineral County Library (First & A Street) in Hawthorne, Nev.; on January 22, at the Carson Valley Inn (1627 US Hwy 395 N) in Minden, Nev.; and on January 29, at the Yerington Elementary School (112 N. California St.) in Yerington, Nev. An additional public meeting will be held from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m., on January 24, at the Carson City Plaza Hotel and Event Center (801 South Carson Street) in Carson City, Nev. Additional public meetings are anticipated in coordination with local County Commissions and Boards of Supervisors.
Written comments related to the Carson City District Draft RMP/Draft EIS may be submitted by any of the following methods:
• Website: http://on.doi.gov/1uYBNGT• E-mail: BLM_NV_CCDO_RMP@blm.gov
• Fax: 775-885-6147
• Mail: BLM Carson City District, Attn: CCD RMP, 5665 Morgan Mill Rd., Carson City, NV 89701.
Copies of the Carson City District Draft RMP/Draft EIS are available in the Carson City District Office at the above address or on the following website: http://on.doi.gov/1uYBNGT
The SF Rally is outside Senator Feinstein’s Office Building in SF from 11-12, June 14th (Flag Day is not an official federal holiday) 1 Post St, San Francisco, CA 94104. Meet at 10:30 with your signs. Come early to park or take BART. The station is Montgomery. Handmade signs are the best. Bring the kids!
The Carson City rally, from 4pm to 7 pm on Friday June 14th, is in front of the Legislative building, across the street from Comma Coffee house on 395/ Carson Street ~ Address: 401 S. Carson St, Carson City, NV 89701.
BREAKING NEWS: Bay Area Residents Protest Killing Wild Horses near Reno
Barbie Hardrock stands up for American mustangs from Europe
OAKLAND, Ca. (January 4, 2013)–Protect Mustangs, the Bay Area-based wild horse preservation group is organizing a peaceful protest during rush hour tonight outside the Rockridge BART Station (College Ave. in Oakland) from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Members of the public of all ages are gathering to show they want the cruelty & slaughter of indigenous wild horses to stop now. The preservation group recently learned of Nevada’s interest in opening a horse slaughterhouse to kill wild horses on tribal land near Reno. Many protests are being held in conjunction with the Carson City Protest, organized by the Wild Horse Preservation League, where the protestors are marching at midday to deliver Governor Sandoval letters from around the world asking him to stop the cruelty and let the advocates help the horses find homes or sanctuary.
“We stand together to demand a STOP to the crimes against America’s indigenous wild horses,” explains Anne Novak, executive director of Protect Mustangs. “We enjoy photographing the very horses they want to slaughter when we go to Reno/Tahoe. These horses are on the edge of Reno. Did you know horses evolved in America and wild horses are a reintroduced native species?”
“We have been working with The Hidden Valley Wild Horse Protection Fund and other groups to bring awareness to the crisis,” continues Novak. “The public around the world is outraged. Some people even refuse to travel to Nevada because of this. Citizens have requested Governor Sandoval stop trapping native wild horses and selling them off at auctions–where kill-buyers go to pick up horses. He has done nothing–only turned a deaf ear.”
Other protests are being held such as the primary one in Carson City, one in Mill Valley tonight at The Depot Plaza sponsored by Wild horse Protection Act as well as protests held in Phoenix, on the East Coast, Europe and elsewhere.
“We are sharing out posts of people protesting today from around the world. Our first photo came in from Barbie Hardrock’s band, Roquette, in Europe,” says Kerry Becklund, director of outreach for Protect Mustangs. “Join the movement to protect wild horses on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ProtectMustangs.”
“American mustangs are so beautiful to watch living in freedom but now they are hard to find because there aren’t many left,” explains Hardrock who enjoys visiting the American West to take photos of wild horses.
“Native wild horses create biodiversity and reverse desertification when managed using reserve design,” states Novak. “Roundups and removals are cruel–slaughtering them is a heinous idea. We want to make sure they are protected.”
Sponsored by Protect Mustangs www.ProtectMustangs.org where you can find a lot of information on the wild horse crisis.
Protect Mustangs is the California-based preservation group whose mission is to educate the public about the American wild horse, protect and research wild horses on the range and help those who have lost their freedom.
Gatherin peaceful proteston January 4th (in conjunction with the Carson City Rally) in hometowns around the world to STOP the Slaughter of Native Wild Horses. Let your friends know what is going on. TOURISTS speak out! Do you support NEVADA’s cruel treatment of iconic mustangs?
Post pics holding your signs on Protect Mustangs’ FB wall and we will share them out!
Make your voice heard, contact the White House, your Congressional Representative and your Senators to request they halt the roundups, stop the slaughter of U.S. wild horses and burros as well as return all wild horses in holding to the range.
Come to the Carson City “Slaughter is not the Answer” Rally in Nevada’s Capitol. From 10:30 a.m. -1 p.m on January 4th. In front of the Nevada State Legislature building 401 South Carson Street, Carson City, NV. Info: Bonnie Matton 775-720-6086
Send your letters in to Hidden Valley by 9 p.m. PST Jan 3rd. Your letters will be taken to the Governor at the end of the Jan 4th Rally in Carson City.
email: hiddenvalleywildhorses@gmail.com
We need your HELP! Please write an original letter off this form letter and send it to Shannon Windle, President of Hidden Valley Wild Horse Protection Fund. She is taking it to the Governor!
Dear Governor Sandoval,
I am appalled by the current treatment of Nevada’s Virginia Range wild horses. These horses belong to the State of Nevada and their fate ultimately lies in your hands. 80% of Americans are opposed to horse slaughter; now the Virginia Range wild horses are being dumped at livestock auctions by the State of Nevada – the first step in the slaughter pipeline. To treat one of this State’s natural resources with such disregard is reprehensible. You, as the highest ranking official of the State of Nevada, have the authority to stop your Department of Agriculture from this inhumane treatment and its continued determination to wipe them off the range altogether.
To preserve these icons of Nevada’s western heritage, please direct the Nevada Department of Agriculture (NDoA) to take the following steps immediately, before these horses are gone forever:
1. STOP sending all Nevada Virginia Range wild horses to the livestock auction immediately. These horses are entering the slaughter pipeline and being put at direct risk of ending up at slaughterhouses in Canada and/or Mexico. I am opposed to having Nevada’s horses served on dinner platters in foreign markets.
2. STOP the random trapping of these horses. Poor to no planning has resulted in 153 horses being removed from the Virginia Range. The opportunistic methods being implemented to trap Nevada’s horses has had almost no impact to the public safety concerns that the NDoA is using as an excuse for the taking up of these horses. I oppose the indiscriminant taking up of Nevada wild horses.
3. RE-ENGAGE the cooperative agreements previously entered in to between NDoA and wild horse advocate groups. These agreements originally allowed non-profit funds to be used to relieve the burden on the tax payer regarding the management of the Nevada wild horses. I support cooperative agreements that allow NDoA to hand over Nevada’s horses to the care of advocate groups that use their donor funds to find them good, quality forever homes.
4. RE-ENGAGE wild horse advocates willing to assist in the on-going management of the Nevada horses as provided in NRS 569. I oppose the current policies affecting Nevada’s wild horses that have led to reactive versus proactive decision making regarding which horses to remove, have led to the use of dangerous techniques implemented in the taking up of horses, put the public at risk of injury during these round ups, and caused entire communities to become outraged at the activities in which the NDoA has engaged.
5. ENCOURAGE AND SUPPORT new legislation and departmental policies that will protect and preserve the Nevada Virginia Range horses. I support these living symbols of our pioneering American spirit and laud them as proud symbols of Nevada’s past, its courageous present, and its strength of tomorrow. I encourage you to ensure they are protected and become the focus of enjoyment for both tourists and residents of current and future generations.
The next meeting of the Nevada Department of Agriculture Board of Directors isn’t scheduled until March. By then, several hundred more horses might be removed from the range. Additionally, there are 41 Virginia Range wild horses scheduled to be sold at the livestock auction on January 9, 2013.
Please act now to protect the Virginia Range wild horses so a long-term solution can be found.
Sincerely,
Sign, print your name and address.
Mail your letter to Hidden Valley Wild Horse Protection Fund, PO Box 20052, Reno, NV 89515 or scan and email it to hiddenvalleywildhorses@gmail.com no later than January 3, 2013.
All letters will be delivered in person to the Governor’s office in Carson City on Friday, January 4, 2013.
Make signs, bring friends and join the rally on Friday, January 4, 2012 (11 a.m. to 1 p.m.) in front of the Legislative Building (Hwy 395 East) in downtown Carson City, Nevada.
If you can’t come to Nevada then hold a peaceful protest in your hometown and send us your photos. We will post them here. Even one person can have a protest. Well traveled roads with lots of traffic are great spots for small protests.
Feel free to send us an email with any questions Contact@ProtectMustangs.org
Photo by Bo Rodriguez
From Bonnie Matton:
Well, as you all know by now, we are battling the Nevada Department of Agriculture to get them to stop sending our Virginia Range Horses + horses from other areas as well – to auction: MEANING TO SLAUGHTER.
So, we are having an emergency rally on Friday, January 4, 2012 (11 a.m. to 1 p.m.) in front of the Legislative Building (Hwy 395 East) in downtown Carson City. Sorry for the last minute notice. We have to have it before the next auction which is on January 9, 2013. NO TIME TO LOSE.
We are calling it “Slaughter is not the Answer.” We will have flyers to pass out to press and others. Would appreciate your emailing me of how many people will be coming from your area and where you are coming from.
Many of you have participated in demonstrations before. Please come at least 1/2 hour before the rally begins (in the park area next to the Legislative Building) so you can receive instructions (especially if you’ve never attended a demonstration before). There are certain regulations we must abide with. The Legislative police have always welcomed us wild horse advocates because we are polite and follow their directions.
After the rally, we will be marching to the Governor’s Building (which is next door to the Legislative Building and close to where we gathered before the rally). Shannon Windle, President of Hidden Valley Wild Horse Protection Fund, will then bring hundreds of letters directly up to the Governor’s office – letters she has been gathering for some time opposing what NDA is doing with Nevada’s Treasures.
You are welcome to make up signs and bring them with you. We have lots in our storage shed which will work and I’ll bring them as well. You are also welcome to bring your organizational signs.
The easiest place to park is if you drive down Stewart Street. There’s usually plenty of parking directly behind the Legislative Building, which is convenient for carrying signs and tables to our setup area.
![By U.S. Government [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons](https://i0.wp.com/protectmustangs.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/300px-US-DeptOfTheInterior-Seal.svg_.png)
