Wild horses possibly headed for slaughter photo by Mona Armenta
Did the Nevada Department of Agriculture sell eight wild horses for slaughter while they thought the world wasn't watching? That was the question being asked on Thursday by Laura Leigh, well know artist and Childrens' author.
Laura received word early Thurday that eight wild horses had been removed from a holding facility at Northern Nevada Correctional Center in nearby Carson City. They were loaded into a truck headed east toward Elko, she was told.
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wild horses possibly headed for slaughter photo by Mona Armenta
The Nevada Department of Agriculture is responsible for managing these historic Virginia Range wild horses whose rangeland is largely on privately owned property near Reno, Nevada. NDOA answers to a different set of laws than those that regulate BLM activities. It has been alleged on several occasions that Tony Lesperance, Director of NDOA since early 2008, has a clandestine relationship with Ole Olsen; a man whose name appears on several lists of "Known Kill Buyers". Mr Olsens' Meadow Valley Ranch is in Elko.
Laura was informed these horses, removed near the Damonte Ranch and Hidden Valley subdivisions near Reno, were supposed to be gelded and enter the prison training program which gentles wild horses prior to public auction. She writes, " There is no confirmation that gelding ever occurred."
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wild horses possibly headed to slaughter phot by Mona Armenta
A search for the "Notice of Sale of Feral Livestock" required by Nevada Law ( NRS 569.075) came up empty. Laura then called Director Lesperance who claimed no knowledge of the horses and referred her to Chris Collis, NDOA head brand inspector, who then referred her to Blaine Northrop, Regional Supervisor for the Elko office. Both representatives denied any knowledge of the horses in question.
A conversation with NDOA brand inspector, Daryl Peterson, confirmed the previous reports. Peterson was driving the truck. "He did not know the destination of the horses but was to deliver them to Blaine in Elko." Laura wrote. Three hours later, Laura confirmed her worst fears; the eight were not offloaded at the Elko NDOA facility but were delivered straight to Ole Olsen.
Laura made a call to the Nevada Attorney Generals office investigator Dale Liebherr. The conversation did not go quite as she expected. Laura writes, " I informed him that I knew he had been investigating illegal activities within the Dept. of Ag. concerning horses. His response, 'I investigate crime. Horses don't commit crimes.' ... He said without my providing the documents ( written proof) he could not act."
A Saturday morning telephone interview with Mr. Kevin D. (Ole) Olsen produced the following:
Reporter: I am told that you recently received eight Virginia Range horses from the Nevada Department of Agriculture. Would you like to comment?
Olsen: I don't know what you're talking about.
Reporter: You did not receive horses from the Nevada Department of Agriculture?
Olsen: I bought a few horses from 'em a couple of days ago. I bought and paid in green. It's not your business. It's my business.
Reporter: Can I ask the final destination of these horses?
Olsen: It's none of your business. You want to know anything call the Ag department.
Equine Welfare Alliance ( EWA) has made a Formal Request for Public Records to gain additional information about these horses.
"If the sale of these horses to Ole was legal," Leigh states, "then why all the secrecy?"
For more info: Alliance of Wild Horse Advocates' Wild Horse War Room
Related Articles Horse autions and the "kill" buyer
Recent BLM Update BLM admits price tag of $1,700,000 for wild horse round up
Comments
What can we do about this to stop it and get back the horses that are being sold illegally? Anything?
How about the full investigation that we've been crying for? How about getting rid of Mr. Lesperance and maybe Attorney General Liebher as well.
Join others standing up for the horses. Write, call and email your Senators and reps. Tell them to pass the two bills now stalled in Congress, one to stop the transport of horse in double deckers and the other to stop them from being sold and transported to slaughter in Mexico and Canada. Call Salazar, the BLM, the Dept of Agriculture and tell them to stop lying and rounding up wild horses to extermination. This has been going on for a long time and not just this case. Unless we stand up and do something they will continue to do this. Please become involved. Look up Americans Against Horse Slaughter. We have many active state groups and would love another horse warrior to join us to fight for better horse welfare. Try Washington state.
Contact information can be found at the AOWHA (can Google) or just click on the "For More Info" link in Carrol's story above. Anyone can make their comments know via phone, email,fax, letters.
What you can do
You can contact the following public officials, complain about the conduct taking place at the Nevada Department of Agriculture, and demand an investigation.
Governor Jim Gibbons
101 N. Carson Street
Carson City, NV 89701
775-684-5670
Fax: 775-684-5683
Contact form: Contact Governor Gibbons
Director Tony Lesperance
Nevada Department of Agriculture
405 South 21st St
Sparks NV 89431
775-353-3613
Fax: 775-353-3638
Email: tlesperance@agri.state.nv.us
Catherine Cortez Masto
Nevada Attorney General
100 N. Carson St.
Carson City, NV 89701
775-684-1100 (switchboard)
FAX: 775-684-1108
775-684-1189 (Edie Cartwright, Public Affairs Officer)
Email: ecartwright@ag.nv.gov
Join many standing up for horses. But be on that side that really does help them... Not give them endless pain, and make them starve and suffer. Don't let them be turned lose to fend for themselves. Don't let them be shipped out of the US where slaughter is much more gruesome and NOT monitored.
Be pro-horse and help open sluughter plants in the US that will be monitored, humane, and end pain.
Samantha, you know very well that there is no such thing as humane horse slaughter. Location only affects the amount of pain and terror the horses go through. Step up and support euthanasia, a reduction in production, and responsible ownership.
well if just because the old guy won't answer questions concerning his business means he is a POS what does that make shawna byington of SOS?? she does not answer any questions thou she begs money to support horses and then readily hands them over to patty echols to kill or sell for her yet no one seems to know which horses patty actually has..
these people in the BLM who have allowed the sale to happen need to be held accountable for their actions! They have no right to sell any of the mustangs to any so-called kill buyer and they should pay by losing their jobs as well as be fined for the theft of these animals in their care. Where is the government when we really need them? What ever happened to justice for all? What kind of country do we live in? No morals, no common sense, nothing but corruption and dishonesty.... this is a dirty rotten shame!
The BLM, F & G , DEPT. of Agric. and the US Forest Service all need to be fired for not only being corrupt and failing to protect our wildlife and other animals but for activley promoting brutal abuse and the genocide of the animals they were sworn to protect. Heres more horses in danger from these scumbuckets :Important Virginia Range Herd at risk!
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 2, 2010
The recent announcement of plans by the Nevada Department of Agriculture to remove 24-25 wild horses from the Damonte Ranch development in southeast Reno, Nevada has brought to light several issues that must be addressed.
The area in question has been used by wild horses as grazing lands for over a hundred years. The expansion of our city has slowly converted these grazing lands to residential and commercial properties thus complicating the issue of human/animal cohabitation. Who is responsible for creating the problem and for solving it?
Scrutinizing the Damonte Ranch deve
this stuff makes me sick. Im a horse lover and im trying to stop the slaughter of wild horses.
Im a horse lover and it makes me sick to. Its bad enough they test things on animals and now they slauter horses thats not right its stupid to.It makes me mad if you could see me right now my face is red as a fire flame!):They dont have to do this just because they want more land we're actaully on their land so they can stop being selfish.The next time I see slauter I will try to stop them!You may think these are strong words but beleive it or not Im only ten!:)
No more waitring - protest. Keep your eyes open and question everything suspicious. PRA is there to put a stop to all this clandistine BS. Ole Olsen is a troll. Clear and simple. If he had legitimate business and wantd to stay in business, he would have gladly been honest about the deal. He doesn't care. Neither did the so-called attorney general. He was also BS'ing. He could act anytime the safety and welfare of the people are threatened. Anytime there is suspected illegal activity, the attorney general is to investigate. We are the government. We run this place - not these self satisfied civil servants whose only contribution to society is ... well, that remains to be seen. I am sick and tired of being placated or having Laura told she is out of her league.
THIS HAS TO STOP!!!!!
4% Fair Tax Averages on America’s 9.2 Million Horses
Replaces Horse Slaughter with Logic and Value
A. *Horses under 501©3 is 0.00 tax until Adopted.
B. *est. $1,200 valued horse in range of $300-$2,500 is $48 tax.
$48 x 4mhorses = 1billion.9m.2k Revenue
go to https://sites.google.com/site/horsesasnationaltreasure/home Petition site, for more figures.
This is vast revenue to pay for land, training, and wages for Committees to oversee America’s horse industry, including reclaiming the Wilderness Preserves for Our Mustangs.
Rebuild America with pride.
We built this Nation with horses.
We can do it again.
Sanctuaries should not only foster horses but should be learning facilities to teach responsible horse ownership. Sanctuaries become county revenue builders as fees are paid for horse adoption, trail rides, horseback riding lessons, and host competitions. Ideally, Sanctuaries should adjoin Federal land already utilized by equestrians or with promise to do so, such as land owned by The Army Corps of Engineers, State Parks and National Forests.
DEAR SIR AM GEORGE G OLSON LOOKING FOR AJOB WITH WILD HORSES YOU CAN CALL ME AT 509 795 4963 IN SPOKANE WASHINGTON I THANK YOU
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