OUR WILD HORSES NEED YOU NOW!!!!

20+ OF OUR WILD HORSES

WERE GRABBED FROM THE RANGE

TODAY BY THE NDA

It's DeJa Vu.......All Over Again!!!!!

Today, Wednesday, August 7, 2024 marks a very dark day for our Virginia Range wild horses. 



We have been aware of the new housing developments going in south Reno.  The question of access to water for our wild ones had been resolved by opening approximately 3,000 feet of stream to the horses about 1,000 feet north of the development property. Wild Horse Connection (WHC) was notified that the horses hanging out in the Sunny Hills Ranchos Housing Development site needed to be moved off the construction site and north to the open water where they would remain free to roam in safety on the range. 

Volunteers had worked tirelessly to move the horses out of the fenced construction area. They succeeded in doing so but were faced with a conundrum – the gate that would keep the wild ones out of the construction site was blocked by a boulder. Sunny Hills Ranchos was asked to move the boulder, which they did yesterday, Tuesday. Volunteers then asked permission to re-access the property so they could re-move the horses off the site. 

But, instead of responding, the Developer closed the gate, locking the horses inside the construction site, and called the NDA. The NDA showed up today, set up a trap in the middle of the construction site, and removed from the range 20+ wild horses (actual number is not yet known). Volunteers responded, took photos, followed the trailer to the Carson Prison where the horses are traditionally “processed”. 

On a side note, the NDA spokesperson told me today that the horses were removed for public safety reasons (they were not a risk) and to keep them from harm in a construction site (they had been moved but wandered back). I was also told they were being moved to a “state facility” but their PIO refused to say which one or to provide any further details. 

Everyone here is extremely upset and frustrated with the Nevada Department of Agriculture and the Sunny Hills Ranchos Housing Development. A plan was already in place, worked out between WHC, Sunny Hills Ranchos, and the NDA. Volunteers had actually and successfully moved the horses out of the construction site but were unable to keep them out because the gate was blocked from closing. No notice or notification was given. No reason or justification for the removal of these beautiful creatures was given. 

We want our horses back on the range where they are supposed to be, where the volunteers moved them to, where they need to be now!!!

The action taken by the NDA today is reprehensible, appalling, unreasonable, unrealistic, and a betrayal of the goodwill and positive spirit in which our local non-profits have executed their part of the historic Cooperative Agreement to Humanely Manage our Virginia Range Wild Horses.

WE ASK YOUR HELP NOW !!!!!

Please attend a rally in front of the Nevada State Capitol Building in Carson City!!! 

THURSDAY, AUGUST 8TH - 9:30 AM at the

NEVADA STATE CAPITOL BUILDING

IN CARSON CITY

101 North Carson Street, Downtown Carson City

We want to make sure Governor Lombardo knows how we feel and that we DO NOT accept this type of behavior and action towards our horses and our non-profits from the NDA!!! 

We want the horses returned to the range where they belong NOW!

If you can’t attend the rally, please contact Governor Lombardo’s office at CONTACT GOVERNOR LOMBARDO'S OFFICE

Fill out the form as indicated, and include the following or use your own words. Please be respectful and polite.

I am contacting Governor Lombardo to let him know how appalling, unjust, unreasonable, and bizarre the action taken today is by the Nevada Department of Agriculture under the authority of Director Goicoechea to remove over 20 wild horses from the Virginia Range at the Sunny Hills Ranchos Housing Development property in south Reno.



As a plan was already in place for volunteers to move and secure these horses from the construction site, their removal from the range needs to be reversed and rectified by returning each horse to the area where volunteers had moved them, which was in compliance with the agreement between the developer, NDA, and local non-profit organizations. 

The removal of these horses was without merit or justification, and happened without notice or regard to the plan in place. This action violates the positive, good work and spirit accomplished through the historic Cooperative Agreement to Humanely Manage the Wild Horses of the Virginia Range, set in place almost 11 years ago. Director Goicoechea is new to this job and has failed to understand the commitment we Nevada citizens have to our wild horses. Further, he has underestimated the will of the Nevada people to protect and embrace its wild horse population.

We also know and realize that these horses will NOT become part of a training program and adopted to happy families as the NDA has NO SUCH PROGRAM!!!

Return these horses immediately to the range.  We will not give up and not stop rallying for our wild ones – just as we did 12 years ago when the NDA remove 149 of our beloved wild ones. We won then, we will win again today.

PLEASE SHARE THIS INFORMATION!!!!

use your social media outlets, forward this newsletter, email your family, friends, relations, engage your co-workers and colleagues, your customers and clients

Reach out to those outside of the United States!!!!

Once the State starts hearing from people outside of Nevada, they start understanding how important our wild ones are to the Nevada coffers in the form of potentially lost tourism dollars when visitors threaten NOT to return