Annual wild horse roundup drawing more protests

Friday, July 2, 2004 | 9:28 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- The Bureau of Land Management this month is going to begin its summer roundup of 3,100 wild horses and burros off public land, and as usual the plan is stirring up protests from advocates for animals.

Etta Butler of the group called Men and Women for Wild Horse and Burro Freedom said representatives have already talked to Gov. Kenny Guinn and want to set up a meeting with Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., in an attempt to stop the gathering.

None of the roundups will take place in Southern Nevada, officials said.

The BLM ran out of money this fiscal year to conduct the roundups but Congress allowed the agency to transfer $7.6 million in its budget to resume the activity. Of that amount, $1.4 million will be coming to Nevada, says BLM spokeswoman Debra Kolkman.

The money is used to hire contractors that in turn employ wranglers and helicopters to conduct the gathering from the public lands.

Ranchers have complained that the wild horses and burros trample the range and water holes to the detriment of livestock grazing.

Butler said her group plans to monitor the roundups to try to ensure that the animals are treated humanely. Advocates maintain the helicopters run the horses until they drop and then the wranglers take over.

"They run the colts into the ground," Butler said.

But Kolkman, who has witnesses these roundups, said the horses are run at their own pace. And if one or two lag behind, they are left. Then the wranglers go out to bring them in.

The animals will be transported to the holding facility in Palomino Valley north of Sparks where they will be branded, receive their shots and other care, Kolkman said. This process takes about two months and then they will be ready for adoption.

Butler said there are already 21,000 horses at Palomino Valley. She said there is talk in Congress about letting the BLM sell the horses and she said that would allow them to go to slaughterhouses.

Wild horse advocates maintain that the animals should be left on the open range. Butler said the money being used for the roundups could be used to drill more wells so there would be more water holes on the public lands for the horses and livestock.

There are an estimated 19,000 wild horses and burros on public lands in Nevada. Kolkman said the ideal number would be 14,000 to 15,000.

Every Wednesday, Butler's organization stands in front of the Legislative Building in downtown Carson City during the noon hour on the main street, holding signs up for passing motorists to read, urging them to call the governor or the BLM to stop the roundups.

Scores of drivers honk their horns or give the thumbs up signal, showing their support for the group of about 20 people who want the horses to remain on the range.