Tag Archives: News 4

Breaking News: Horse lovers from around the world unite to save Nevada’s wild horses from kill-buyers

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Advocates were bidding against auction house staff who kept raising the bids

Virginia Range Wild Horses @ Peace (Photo ©Anne Novak, all rights reserved.)

For immediate release:

RENO, Nevada (September 20, 2012) –Hidden Valley Wild Horse Protection Fund spearheaded and saved 23 historic Virginia Range wild horses from going to the kill-buyers last night. The herculean effort lead by Shannon Windle, president of Hidden Valley Wild Horse Protection Fund. Country singer Lacy Dalton’s non-profit, Let ‘Em Run Foundation, also raised funds for the rescue.

“We are very grateful everyone joined together to save the horses from Wild Horse Annie’s herd,” says Shannon Windle, president of Hidden Valley Wild Horse Protection Fund.

Last night many wild horse advocates and groups from the greater Reno area joined forces to help with transportation and foster care to make this rescue effort a success. The list includes the Hidden Valley Wild Horse Protection Fund, Let ‘Em Run Foundation, Least Resistance Training Concepts (LRTC) Horse Power and The Starlight Sanctuary with support from many other groups in the West. The efforts were coordinated through the Alliance of Wild Horse Advocates.

California-based Protect Mustangs joined in to help with outreach, raise awareness about the issue and contact Nevada’s Governor Brian Sandoval to stop the sale.

Donors contributed from across the USA and abroad to save Nevada’s indigenous wild horses from being sold to kill-buyers who sell the horses to slaughter plants for human consumption in foreign countries.

A staff member of the auction house was bidding as well as a kill-buyer against the wild horse advocates. Is it legal for the house to drive up the bids?

“How much did the auction house make with the owner driving the price up? ” asks Windle “Is this illegal?”

During the auction, a thin Virginia Range wild horse mare sold for over $500. while a stocky domestic buckskin sold for $200. A wild mare and foal sold for $1000 which is grossly abnormal at a livestock auction frequented by kill-buyers.

Advocates paid more than $11K to save the 23 wild horses–more than three times above market value.

31 additional wild horses will arrive at the auction house next week. More than 60 wild horses have been rounded up and face a horrific end if more foster homes, adopters and donors are not found quickly.

Essential donations are also needed to feed the wild horses rescued last night who will live in foster care until they are adopted or accepted into a sanctuary.

Send donations to the Hidden Valley Wild Horse Protection Fund here: http://hiddenvalleyhorses.com/main.php?c=donate

Governor Brian Sandoval ignored public outcry and took no action to save America’s iconic wild horses from going to an auction frequented by kill-buyers tonight.

“We hope Governor Sandoval realizes that outside of Nevada 80% of Americans are against horse slaughter,” explains Anne Novak, executive director of California-based Protect Mustangs. “This could be a pivotal point in his political career–the point where he tarnishes himself to the extent that he will never win the hearts of the 80%. He still has time to take action and become a hero and we hope he does.”

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Follow Protect Mustangs on Facebook for updates

Media Contacts:

Anne Novak, 415-531-8454, Anne@ProtectMustangs.org

Kerry Becklund, 510-502-1913, Kerry@ProtectMustangs.org

Links of interest:

News 4 reported on the story last night: http://www.mynews4.com/news/local/default.aspx

News 4 reporting continues: http://www.mynews4.com/news/local/story/Wild-Horse-Advocacy-groups-go-through-bidding-war/k57ef-ffOkq2QbDJKkhPEg.cspx

Hidden Valley Wild Horse Protection Fund: http://hiddenvalleyhorses.com/main.php

Let ‘Em Run Foundation: http://www.letemrun.com/index.html

Lacy Dalton bio, president of Let ‘Em Run Foundation: http://www.letemrun.com/Lacy-Bio.htm

Least Resistance Training Concepts: http://www.whmentors.org/

Starlight Sanctuary http://thestarlightsanctuary.webs.com/

Governor Brian Sandoval: http://gov.nv.gov/

Plea to Governor Sandoval to stop Nevada from selling wild horses to killer-buyers at auctions: http://protectmustangs.org/?p=2459

Information on the Virginia Range wild horses: http://www.aowha.org/war/virginia_range0901.html

Protect Mustangs: http://www.ProtectMustangs.org

BREAKING NEWS: Fire next to wild horse holding facility near Reno ~ Prayers needed

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6

We are posting updates here

July 3, 2012 1:15 p.m. Ironwood fire is 90% contained. News 4 reports http://www.mynews4.com/mostpopular/story/Ironwood-Fire-is-50-contained/dry6RBxk502RkA-w6YCc5Q.cspx

July 2, 2012 11:45 p.m.  Much gratitude to the firemen. Prayers to keep all the residents safe. The winds have changed directions and the wild horses are downslope. Let’s hope the mustangs stay safe through the night. Thank YOU everyone for your prayers. Thank you Taylor James for contacting us and taking photos. Thank you News 4 and 8 for covering the story. Scared mustangs ripped from their homes and trapped in pens, with a fire across the dirt road . . . We hope they are OK from all the smoke exposure. The fire is not out yet.

 

July 2, 2012  Palomino Valley fire tonight.  (Photo by Lynda Moyer from News 4 page)

News 4 Karen Griffin reports: http://www.mynews4.com

Kolo Channel 8 reports: http://ww2.kolotv.com

10:00 Tune into News 4 at 11 for coverage on the fire

9:32 Anne Novak spoke with someone who was in on the press conference and “per the Fire Chief the mustangs aren’t threatened anymore.”

News 4 reports: http://www.mynews4.com/news/local/story/Ironwood-Fire-burns-in-Palomino-Valley/dry6RBxk502RkA-w6YCc5Q.cspx

UPDATE: 9:28 pm According to Charles Moore with Truckee Meadows Fire, the Ironwood Fire started around 6:30pm and has burned 250-300 acres.The original call had the fire being at 20 X 30 feet, but quickly grew in the time it took for fire crews to arrive, which was between 20 and 30 minutes.No structures have been burned, but the fire burned around at least 12 structures and those 12 structures are still threatened.There are 60-70 firefighters on scene. The fire is burning in rugged terrain, most of the fire has been fought from the air.The Sheriff’s Department has been doing evacuations. Search and Rescue have been warning people and there have been no injuries so far.Firefighters have been called back because it’s too dark to fight the fire, but they will be attacking the fire at daybreak.The cause is still under investigation. Wind is not a big concern for tonight. Because of the fire burning in Caughlin Ranch earlier, crews were able to quickly attend to this fire.BLM stables were threatened for a time, but are not threatened anymore.The next press will be at 6:00am.
RENO, Nev. (KRNV & MyNews4.com) — A fire has started on the right side of Pyramid Highway in Palomino Valley. It’s being called the Ironwood Fire. Structures are threatened and deputies are on scene to help people evacuate, according to Washoe County’s North Sergeant.According to Nevada Highway Patrol, southbound on Pyramid Highway has been reopened, but northbound is still closed.News 4 has a crew on the way and will bring you more information as it becomes available.

 

Breaking News from Protect Mustangs

The fire started at about 7:00 p.m. across the road from Palomino Valley Center outside of Sparks Nevada. Photographer Taylor James was at the facility when the fire started and contacted us. 

“The smoke was entering the pens,” reports Taylor James, photographer. “The mustangs were running back and forth in a panic–in the pens.”

7:00 p.m. Palomino Valley Fire July 2, 2012 Across the dirt road from the American mustang holding pens (Photo © Taylor James)

 

Wind blowing smoke into pen at 7:00 p.m.

7:00 p.m. PVC Fire Across Dirt Road from wild horses trapped in pens. Smoke entering pens July 2, 2012 (Photo © Taylor James)

 

Captured wild horses at beginning of fire. The fire is across a dirt road from the horses. The horses are downslope.

7:00 p.m. PVC Fire July 2, 2012 Mustangs in pen across from fire  (Photo © Taylor James)

 

7:20 p.m. PVC Fire & Smoke July 2, 2012 (Photo © Taylor James)

 

PVC Fire July 2, 2012 From Highway (Photo © Taylor James)

Roadside entrance to Palomino Valley where wild horses are held in pens after being rounded up and processed.

7:35 p.m. PVC Fire  July 2, 2012 Highway entrance to short term holding (Photo © Taylor James)

More photos coming.

All photos by Taylor James. Press may use photos crediting the photographer.

Taylor James’ Facebook page is here: http://www.facebook.com/UpCloseandPersonalPhotography?ref=ts 

 

Comment period extended but Nevada public hearing a sham

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Yesterday we took your comments to the hearing, requesting BLM reschedule the Carson City helicopter hearing with adequate public notice and comments against helicopter roundups, etc. Photographer and honorary board member, Cat Kindsfather, hand delivered them and spoke on behalf of Protect Mustangs as well as the American public.

Kindsfather brought up the fact that people across the country wanted to participate in the public process but there was not enough notice given.

At the meeting, BLM announced they would extend the comment period. Comments can be received no later than June 12, 2012. Only comments sent to the address, email or fax number identified below will be accepted and “considered”.

Comments may be sent by mail or fax:

BLM Carson City District Office

5665 Morgan Mill Road

Carson City, NV 89701

Attn: WHB Motorized Hearing.

FAX: 775-885-6147.

 

Comments may also be sent by email:

ccfoweb@blm.gov, Attn: WHB Motorized.

 

Comments submitted to BLM must include your address, phone number, email, or other personal identifying information in your comment.

Please be aware your entire comment–including your personal identifying information–may be made publicly available at any time. While you may request we withhold your personal information from public view, we cannot guarantee we will be able to do so.

 

Please copy us on all the comments you send the BLM so we can keep a record of the comments received to watchdog this faulty process.

We will send the Carson City District Office all the comments on your behalf that you have sent us after 7 a.m. May 29, 2012 to ensure your comments are received.

We continue to ask for the Carson City hearing to be rescheduled to allow oral comments and for the public to be given 30 days notice for any other BLM public hearings.

Denying the public their right to be present and comment at a public hearing shows the BLM has no intention of engaging the American public nor do they want to be transparent.

The NBC affiliate, KRNV Reno News 4, attended the public hearing and reported on wild horse advocates say BLM jeopardized public process.

Thank you for sending in your comments. Now tell your friends about what is going on and invite them to send in comments against the use of helicopters and motorized vehicles as well.

Stop the Roundups!

 

Links of interest:

KRNV Reports on wild horse advocates say BLM jeopardized public process. http://www.mynews4.com/news/local/story/Wild-horse-advocates-say-the-BLM-jeopardized/a8kN1TVKZ0WLiaEBaISvDA.cspx

Protect Mustangs news release: Government transparency and public process jeopardized: http://protectmustangs.org/?p=1416

Protect Mustangs letter requesting BLM give the public 30 days notice for helicopter use hearing: http://protectmustangs.org/?p=1409

BLM press release announcing they will extend comments: http://www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/info/newsroom/2012/may/carson_city__blm_nevada.html

BLM press release on hearing: http://www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/info/newsroom/2012/may/blm_to_hold_public.html