Extremist Group Threatens Lawsuit – Virginia Range Horses

EXTREMIST GROUP THREATENS LAWSUIT – VIRGINIA RANGE HORSES

CBS 2 News Needs to Do A Better Job Reporting – Virginia Range Horses

We are disappointed in CBS 2 News – KTVN and their lop-sided coverage of the situation with the Virginia Range Horses. Simply going to a meeting and only interviewing people from one side of an issue is NOT real reporting. CBS 2 News did not do its homework and it did not provide its viewers with a complete synopsis when it broadcast their recent segment.

Virginia Range Horses

Many of you may have heard about the Virginia Range Horses in the news. There have been reports of deaths to motorists on Interstate 50 due to collisions with the horses. There have been numerous reports of problems with the horses entering onto private lands and causing damage. Currently there are 3,000 + horses on the Virginia Range, an area that can only maintain 500. The area is decimated. There is little food left for the horses and other wildlife. This is why the horses have roamed into residential areas to find food and water and why other wildlife is now scarce.

Virginia Range Horses in cheatgrass. Cheatgrass is an invasive species and dangerous for horses to eat.

American Wild Horse Preservation Campaign

The American Wild Horse Preservation Campaign is a nonprofit animal rights organization that raises well over one million dollars a year and yet does little to nothing to actually help manage horses on American range lands. What they have done with the money they have raised off the backs of these horses is to spend hundreds of thousands on lobbying, lawsuits and salaries. Via their lawsuits and activities, they have caused nothing but problems for the government organizations tasked with managing the horses, this includes the BLM and the State of Nevada’s Department of Agriculture.

Failure to Meet Obligations

Management of the Virginia Range falls under the responsibility of the State of Nevada. Several years ago, the State of Nevada entered into an arrangement with the American Wild Horse Preservation Campaign to help manage the Virginia Range horses. This included increasing adoptions in order to reduce the population, keeping horses off the highways and to help administer birth control measures. Unfortunately, this arrangement was unsatisfactory as the American Wild Horse Preservation Campaign did not follow through with their contracted obligations. Therefore, the State of Nevada took measures to end the agreement.

Request for Proposal

With the horse situation and the condition of the range continuing to worsen, the State of Nevada Department of Agriculture changed their management approach. They posted a Request for Proposal (RFP), looking for an outside organization or organizations to take over the management of the horses. The Intent of the RFP reads as follows: “The intent of this RFP as outlined by the Nevada Board of Agriculture during their board meeting on December 12, 2017 is to place the ownership of the VREs with a reputable animal advocate organization that has the experience, knowledge, tools, resources and financial ability to manage the horses according to their needs. It is intended that the selected owner will work to keep the horse population on the range and will facilitate adoptions of any horses removed from the range.” The Scope of Work outlined in the RFP: Please describe how the potential owner will complete the following:

Livestock management including reducing and preventing public safety issues
Fertility control
Cooperating with local government, residents, businesses and other stakeholders
Partner with other organizations
Fund development.

Sour Grapes and Lawsuits

There is nothing stopping the American Wild Horse Preservation Campaign from submitting a Request for Proposal to take over ownership and management of these horses. After all, they have raised money from goodhearted people under the promise to do just this very thing – help horses on American range lands. However, that is not what they are doing. Instead, they are following their regular formula of threats and legal shenanigans. On the newscast last night they announced that it was not practical for an outside group to take over management of the horses and they are threatening to file a lawsuit to stop the State of Nevada from having the ability to properly manage the horse population. Oh really? It isn’t practical? Then what are they raising money for? It looks to us like they are not at all concerned with the horses, but more concerned about keeping the money they raise in their own bank accounts.

Here’s Your Story CBS News KTVN

We just did your work for you KTVN. Don’t you think residents of Nevada deserve to know the truth? Or would you rather aide an animal rights group in raising money to fill their bank accounts and push their agenda?

It is Time to Stand Up and Hold the Media Accountable

Its time to hold the news media accountable and insist that they stop providing extremist groups with a platform to push their agenda disguised as the news. We encourage everyone to let CBS 2 News know what you think about this.

Phone Numbers:

Here’s the number to their newsroom: 775-861-4290 or switchboard: 775-858-2222.