Tony Lesperance - Plan to Remove Wild Horses

-Please click "more info" (above) for a complete description-
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This is an official video of a presentation by Nevada Dept. of Agriculture Director Tony Lesperance to the Nevada Legislature outlining his plans for eliminating the Virginia Range wild horses by using misleading and/or fabricated information to press his agenda.
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What you will see.
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Director Lesperance makes misleading statements about a wild horse range study. (The study involved only 85,000 acres within a horse range of over 400,000+ acres. Lesperance represents that the population recommendations for this small study area actually apply to the total horse range - some five times the size of the study area.) This misrepresentation is his justification for removing hundreds of wild horses.
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Director Lesperance misstates the involvement of the many cooperating wild horse groups, several who still hold horses at no charge in "Foster care" for the State of Nevada.
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Director Lesperance makes an unsubstantiated and appalling representation that wild horse groups were exporting horses and that there is no accountability in the adoption program. There is no evidence that any untitled horses were ever exported. The Nevada Department of Agriculture actually caused the "lack of accountability" Lesperance compains about, as the Department canceled the policy that all adoption cooperators provide details about the disposition of all adoption horses through submition of quarterly reports.
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Director Lesperance suggests that the horse adoption "market" is saturated, citing one prison horse adoption event that was adversely impacted by a significant snowstorm and closed highways.
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Director Lesperance suggests that the adoption groups have not been assisting the state when in fact they still hold horses for the state in spite of Lesperance rescinding the various cooperative agreements with the non profit groups - activities that have saved the state tens of thousands of dollars.
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Director Lesperance claims that there have been 24 horse strikes on US-50 and related roads in the past year, however no data can be found that suggests that more than a handful of these accidents involve Virginia Range wild horses.
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If Director Lesperance's comments and agenda disturb you, or if you have concerns about this issue, please contact Governor Jim Gibbons' office at (775) 684-5670 and the Nevada Department of Agriculture at (775) 688-1180 to express your views.
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Governor's web site (for web contact) http://gov.state.nv.us
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Dept. of Ag web site (for web contact) http://agri.state.nv.us
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One of the wild horse advocacy groups following this issue is the Wild Horse Preservation League of Dayton, NV. The League can be contacted at (775) 220-6806.
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The League's web site is http://www.wildhorsepl.org
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Post script: Nevada's economy is very dependent upon tourism. Ecotourism is a growing segment of Nevada's tourism industry. Wild horses are a component of rural Nevada's unique ecotourism adventure. Why would a state agency attack a component that could aid Nevada's economic recovery?

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• Tony Lesperance
• wild horses
• virginia range
• Nevada

[CoreyGoldfield]

Things have happened that might explain everyone all of a sudden going quiet.

Specific allegations were made to the Attorney General in a public meeting about NDoA arranging illegal sales of horses to private citizens, threatening to kill orphan foals if favors weren't done for the Director, writing phony paperwork to ship horses out of state and more. These are only allegations until proved, but I hear people were asked to sit back let the AG do her job.

Wow.

Let's see what happens.

[CoreyGoldfield]

I almost forgot.

The agreement says in Part 3 that the Cooperator retains ownership of the horses for one year. Does that mean that after a year the horse belongs to the adopter? And if it belongs to the adopter, who has the right to tell the adopter what he (or she) can (or can't) do with it?

Sounds like accountability or compliance ends when a year is up.

CG

[CoreyGoldfield]

My major is English, not math or semantics, so someone please help me out here.

Dir. L says that there were hundreds more horses than estimated. So how can hundreds be missing at the same time?

I got a copy of the cooperators agreement. It says the groups have to send quarterly reports. But another page says to ignore the quarterly reports. If compliance is an issue, why drop the reports?

If the groups are based in several states, shouldn't we expect their horses to be there too?

[CoreyGoldfield]

Folks,

Just a quick comment. This is obviously an empotional subject. I want to thank everyone for respecting different points of view and for making your posts about what's going on, not flaming or dissing each other.

Carry on!

CG

[CoreyGoldfield]

Apparently it doesn't matter how much service the various wild horse organizations have provided to the horses and to the state, or how many tens of thousands of dollars these organizations have saved Nevada taxpayers.  All that seems to matter to this administration is whether you do or don't go along with their agenda to eradicate Nevada's wild horses.

It's un-American.

It's bad government.

Welcome to Nevada.

CG

[Cracard]

Same old blind prejudice. The wild horses of the Virginia Range add so much that is truly valuable here in this part of the West. They are aesthetically pleasing and they enhance the ecosystem. They greatly reduce the flammable vegetation and in the process they build the soils, making them more moist and provisioning of the regional aquifer. They also seed so many of the native plants. But humans force their ruminant livestock unnaturally upon the ecosystem and won't even let them adapt.

[wildhorseguy]

SLICK GARDNER

The Slick Gardner horses abuse case in Buellton included both Dann and Virginia Range horses. I have photos of the VR horses before they went to Slick. James Kicker and I met with Don Henderson protesting the Slick deal and predicting exactly what happened. Bottom line - Henderson, at Paul Iverson's request,  violated NRS 569.080 by not placing those horses through legal cooperators which he could have done. It produced the largest horse "disaster" in modern CA history.

[Mishgradh]

shouldn't those horses go to homes? they are feral. Domesticated critters gone wild. They live longer in someones care than out on the range......

I hope everybody gets what they want in this situation. But mostly I hope the horses get the care they deserve.

[wildhorseguy]

Barb,

Regarding my "real name," anyone who doesn't recognize a screen name that I've used since the 90s can figure out who I am in my profile.

Most people who use these blogs know how to look up a profile.

These blog comment posts are limited to 500 words. Most of the time I use them all up.

Since you're passing on false and malicious accusations, I'll to break it down for everyone. The real, not imagined facts, are verifiable in the state records. Continued...

[bkwarner]

I am not blinded by the NDA .

I am through corresponding with people who will not identify themselves or give out their facts.

Good-by

[bkwarner]

Well I guess Tony L. didn't have his facts right then as that's where I got my information. I meant the VRWPA will do what is best for the horses . It's you throwing "barbs" and at the NDA . What's your name anyway? Why are you hiding it?

[bkwarner]

HEY,WILDHORSEGUY...Willis Lamm. Why won't you use your real name ?The dept of AG has enough proof regarding those 300 -400 horses that were taken off the range and sent to Ca ,TX and beyond that they have an on going investigation..Otherwise they would not waste the time and money..

Sounds like you and Ray Field are upset because the VRWPA  has a working relationship with the Dept. of Ag. They will help the horses and do what is best for them. I think some just want to exploit them.

[wildhorseguy]

Um... make that COMPLIANT, not complaint.

Sorry about that.