DID YOU KNOW........?
….that when the Board of Agriculture members (who are all appointed by the Governor of Nevada) voted to direct the Nevada Department of Agriculture (NDoA) to put out a Request for Proposal to Transfer Ownership of the Virginia Range Estray horses, they essentially directed State Employees to create a situation, that when completed, will put a Third Party into the position of immediately breaking State Law?
….Nevada Revised Statute (NRS 568.340) says that it is unlawful for anyone to run their livestock on the "possessory claims of others"? Translation: It's illegal to run your livestock on someone else's private property without their permission/agreement. The Virginia Range is made up of
THOUSANDS
of parcels of mostly privately owned property.
….NRS Chapter 569 states the horses belong to the State, and the State is protected from liability with regard to where the horses are according to those laws? But that goes away if the State transfers ownership – the horses would become just privately owned livestock on someone else's land. This would mean that any Third Party group taking ownership of the Virginia Range wild horses would be in immediate violation of State Law as soon as the transfer of ownership is signed.
….that the Nevada Board and Commission Manual that directs the actions of State Board members, specifically defines the members as part of the Executive Branch of the Nevada government, a branch with the defined function of carrying out and enforcing in good faith Nevada State laws?
….that nowhere does it state Board members can choose which laws they care to enforce or carry out? Nor does it allow them to direct State Employees to knowingly create a situation that would, again, knowingly put a Third Party in the position of violating State law.
….that the Nevada Board and Commission Manual specifically says that "actions not taken in good faith may subject a Board or Commission, and even individual members, to liability"?
….that a Board member could be held personally liable for knowingly creating a situation that would cause someone to violate State law?
….that simply put, you could not buy a horse and just keep it on someone else's land without having an arrangement to do so? But that is exactly what this Board has told State employees to make happen.
ACTION YOU SHOULD TAKE FOR THE HORSES!
Please contact the people below and let them know that you expect State law to be upheld in good faith. Tell them you expect the RFP to be rescinded and you want the NDoA to meet with local advocates to create a better solution for the humane management of the Virginia Range wild horses through a cooperative agreement. Designate your correspondence as “Official Correspondence” so it will be retained and associated with this issue.
100 N. Carson Street, Carson City, NV 89701
775-684-1100
101 N. Carson Street, Carson City, NV 89701
775-684-5670
405 S 21
st
Street, Sparks, NV 89431
775-353-3661
