Republicans Praise Sisolak for Handling of Wild Horse Issue

April 11, 2019

Republican lawmakers have issued a statement applauding Gov. Steve Sisolak for his willingness to work onsolutionsto managing theVirginia Range horses.

Assembly Minority Leader Jim Wheeler, R-Gardnerville, said after meeting with them and Jeffrey Berns, CEO of Blockchains, Sisolak directed the Nevada Agriculture Department to reinstate the cooperative agreement with the American Wild Horse Conservation (formerly American Wild Horse Campaign) to dart those horses with contraceptives.

That agreement was canceled a year ago by the department, and advocates say they were never given a good explanation why.

Wheeler said Berns has guaranteed his company will ensure all the horses are darted regardless of the budget.

Berns said responsible birth control measures are essential to the wellbeing of the herd.

He said Sisolak not only listened and learned the importance of the issue but acted to get the problem taken care of.

Suzanne Roy, director of the American Wild Horse Conservation (formerly Wild Horse Campaign), said controlling the herd’s population is essential in a habitat that’s increasingly impacted by development. She said the contraceptive darts using PZP are a humane alternative to removing the horses from the range.

TheVirginia Range horseshave been a sticking point for advocates and the state because they’re not protected by the federal Wild Horse and Burro Act. They’re considered “estray” animals.

Advocates say darting them will, over time, reduce the size of the herd to a manageable level the Virginia Range can sustain.

Originally posted by Nevada Appeal