story by KRNV News 4, Reno
“…complaint is UNJUSTIFIED!”
Click Image to View Video
VIRGINIA CITY, NV (Mynews4.com & KRNV) – A local wild horse preservation foundation is facing three misdemeanor charges filed with the Storey CountyDistrict Attorney’s office this week. The criminal complaint lists the Let ‘Em Run Foundation, with Failure to brand or mark animals grazing on open range, abandoning an animal and causing or allowing an animal to be unjustifiably injured and/or to be deprived of necessary food or drink; all misdemeanor offenses.
According to a report done by the Nevada department of Agriculture, eight horses were adopted by the foundation in Carson City in December 2011. Those horses were transported to property owned by Lance Gilman in Storey County where they were let out on what was supposed to be properly fenced in private land. Ed Foster,, Spokesperson with the Department of Agriculture, says the horses should have been branded by the new owner and were not. He also says one of the horses got out and they found it near McCarren and Clear Water Way in Reno.
Lacy J. Dalton runs the Let ‘Em Run Foundation. She was not available and did not return our phone calls prior to the airing of this story. Willis Lamm and Shirley Allen are also listed as Defendants. They were in Carson City today during a demonstration against the capturing and selling of Virginia Range wild horses. They say this complaint is unjustified.
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Categories: Horse News, Wild Horses/Mustangs
Straight from the Horse's Heart 
Just…..just…..Shame on the Nevada DoA!
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I’ve heard the local TV News reported that the horses that were turned back out look bad, but I am still trying to find the TV news report on this. One of my students told me she saw it on the TV News and saw videos of the horses and they looked “really bad”, however, one persons “really bad” can be another persons “a little bit thin”. I’m still trying to find the TV video because I didn’t see it first hand……I live 40 minutes from Reno (and also from So. CA and moved here 20 years ago) but don’t get the local TV stations…….some other State horses my husband saw yesterday up in the VC Highlands looked great he said, and our wild horses down here in Lyon County also look good too, so I’ll be rather surprised if those State horses that were bought by the Let Em Run Foundation and turned back out on private, unfenced land look “really bad”…..sounds to me like there may be a vendetta against the defendent from a private citizen and they are using the State to follow their agenda and/or they could even be a State employee or connected to a State employee and they are purposely going after the defendent. And while the horses were turned out on to unfenced privately owned land which is not allowable for any of us to do unless we want to have our horses confiscated, I think its just an excuse for the State to use the defendents as examples of the power the State has to perhaps come after us because we are on the side of the wild horses and against the private business factions (and for many of those PRIVATE businesses, we tax payers are forced to pay them subsidies that are in the millions for them to run their businesses….what a racket that is!) who are intent on taking over all of the State land and all of our public land as well.
I’m also curious and suspicious why this is happening now with all of the crap the State has been doing with eradicating the horses and sending them to the sale yard at Fallon (and I do think this lawsuit will distract a lot of people to the FACT that there are 20 or more Virginia Range Wild horses at the Fallon kill sale yard awaiting auctioning at the weekly kill sale on Tuesday….unless rescues step in, the kill buyers will most likely get them and they WILL go to slaughter)……you know, if you’re a vocal defender of wild horses around these parts as many of us are, the “powers that be” seek to shut you up and back you off so they can run their agenda through and capture and ship as many State wild horses to their deaths at slaughter at the kill sale…..I think its a distraction to back us all off of raising hell about the Virginia Range horses already at the sale yards awaiting auction on Tuesday, and also the continuing capture of State horses that will also go to the kill sale yard…….kind of a warning to the rest of us that we better watch out or we could be next if we continue to mouth off……hmm, they can’t go after all of us because then it would be apparent what they’re doing, so unless those horses that were confiscated look “really bad” and even though I don’t always see “eye to eye” with one of the defendents, I’ll offer as much support as I can if I think they are being persecuted and used as a “warning” to the rest of us to back off.
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Just a note, only one horse is in question and was held for 3 weeks before owner found out he was even in custody. He is “rotund” and would have to REALLY, REALLY, REALLY find a streach to accuse abuse and neglect. He had “disappeared 3-4 months ago from private range he was originally release on. The spotters and people that are look outs for this area in keeping an eye on him and those particular horses daily/weekly put out flyers, emails, many communications with no luck until he was accidently spotted at NDA corrals in Carson. Charges are trumped up and are being used as distraction and intimidation.
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I am confident that Willis will show the NDOA to be the true villains that they are. In fact, I am looking forward to the show!
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Seeking Truth:
Hmmm…is it possible these horse were actually illegally rounded up? Sounds like a scene from “The Misfits”. Wanna bet there are entities, governments and mustangers out there still abusing wild equines?
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Trying to reply, and sent to a time out….Hmmm, no bad words, etc. What’s up with the filter?
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Let me correct one thing you are saying: there is no such thing as private, unfenced “range” where horses can be turned loose (except if you want to consider the reservations as “private, unfenced land”) because if that were the case, I’d have 20 of my Mustang mares turned-out on it…..one thing we are not allowed to do around here (and I did hold the BLM’s feet-to-the-fire in about 2005 when I called their Carson City office and asked if I could graze 20 of my horses on the public land and that I in fact would pay them $5.00 AUM instead of the measely $1.35 the ranchers pay but was catagorically told “no”, you can’t turn horses loose for various idiotic reasons…it was funny to listen to the guy stutter as I kept pressing him though) is turn our horses loose on public and/or State range land….if it were allowable, we’d all be doing it and wouldn’t have the HUGE hay bills some of us have. The mistake the defendents made is only that in my opinion, otherwise, in studying videos and photos, I have seen NO skinny horses that would alarm me. I also just find the timing of this whole thing VERY suspicious since we currently have 20 or more Virginia Range State horses at the Fallon kill sale awaiting auctioning most likely to the kill buyers unless private citizens and/or rescues are able to buy them. I was at the sale in 2011 when the defendents purchased and rescued those horses and was prepared to buy 3 or 4 of them to at least try to save a few from slaughter if no one else showed up there….luckily they did show up and did rescue all 8 of the horses. Since they stepped in and rescued all 8 of them, I did buy/rescue a 24 year old lame freezemarked Mustang mare someone had dumped at the sale (in fact, one of the defendents took me outside to show her to me to make sure I knew she was there, otherwise, she may not have been rescued and sold to the kill buyer instead) and brought her home with me to live out her days with a gelding buddy.
I believe it needs to be “owned up to” that the horses were put on unfenced private land and they did perhaps wander (and that property is only 4-7 miles from me, so I know the area very well), however, I also believe we can’t let this be a distraction and take our focus off the critical issue at hand and that is that the State horses need protection from capture, and if they are captured, they need to have a safe place to be taken too where they then can be adopted to good homes. And as a Nevada tax payer who is forced to pay susidies to corporate factions to run their private businesses, I would rather see some of my tax dollars go to take care of the State horses both on the range uncaptured, and also if they are captured, pay until they are placed in GOOD adoptive homes with a one year contract until Title is given.
Nevada collects A LOT of tourism dollars based on people coming here in part (and sometimes its the wild horses that are the main reason they visit Nevada) to see wild horses, both BLM and State wild horses, so this wanton disregard for the health and lives of these STATE of NEVADA horses is not acceptable and we can’t let a distraction of turning now privately owned “wild” horses out on privately owned unfenced land become any more then a “my bad, we’ll never do it again” and keep up the pressure instead for the State to “do the right thing” and stop sending our wild horses to the toilet of the kill sale at Fallon where if not rescued by a private horse lover and/or advocates/rescues, they face certain horrendous death at the slaughterhouse…..that is truly a big black eye for the State of Nevada if that happens now, and when it has happened in the past and been brought to light.
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THERE MUST BE SOME WAY TO SAVE THESE HORSES AND LITTLE FOALS. THIS DOA SEEMS TO HAVE GOT ITS FEELINGS HURT FROM A PREVIOUS INCIDENT A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO. THIS ENTIRE DOA SHOULD BE VOTED OUT OF OFFICE.
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I have seen photos of some of the horses in the V.C. Highlands area…and they ARE in bad shape, while others look good. I don’t know what is going on with them, except that they might have a heavy parasite infestation in those particular bands that don’t look good. For some really good pix of those horses see Mikel Hettricks FB page.
For NDA to flinging worthless lawsuits at the very entity that has helped them re-home or take in so called ‘nuisance’ horses in the past, has me thinking that maybe the love has gone sour in this particular relationship, and they are propagating to take the attention off themselves ( NDA) and put it on the advocates like it’s their fault is absolutely absurd…sorry NDA but no one is buying this hogwash anymore, not advocates or John Q. Public! Better think of something else because people all over this area, the country and the globe are pissed off this time.
For more years than I care to remember NDA has gathered horses and sent them to slaughter ‘claiming’ that they are ‘estrays’ when everyone KNOWS they are wild. Funny how it always seems to happen around the holidays or when times are tough and money is needed…. I wanna know where the BLOOD MONEY goes! and for all these years I have spent and endured these heartbreaks I have NEVER received a straight answer or even acknowledgement that I have asked the questions! The NDA on the top level is just as corrupt as DC politicians and the top levels of the DOI…. the horses always get the short end regardless and it’s all a money machine, using tax payer dollars to do their dirty work and collecting PAC funds to make the ‘good ol boys’ wealthy!
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If it smells like a fish, swims like a fish, and takes the worm like a fish, it’s a fish.
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From what I understand, Nevada is a “fence out” state.
http://www.ehow.com/list_7148677_rural-fencing-rules-nevada.html
Rural Fencing Rules in Nevada
Patricia Linn
A native southwesterner, Pat Linn owned an advertising agency for more than 20 years, parlayed technical writing/editing into editorships with “American Sailor,” “Rags Nor’Easter,” and other trade/consumer magazines, is a seasoned copywriter, and has written hundreds of business plans, feasibility studies, press releases, cross-media advertising campaigns, and presentations.
By Patricia Linn, eHow Contributor
In Nevada, you can’t ask your neighbor to fence in his cows, you have to fence them out.
Nevada is one of many western states that are primarily comprised of “open range” land. The open range designation means that cattle, horses, sheep and other livestock are free to roam and feed over any property that is not fenced. Nevada, and other open range states, legislate “fence-out” laws that essentially say: if you don’t want other people’s livestock coming on your property, then it is your responsibility to fence your land adequately to prevent ingress.
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the horses that were picked up (the 22) are not from the band of horses involved in the bogus “criminal complaint” (which by the way has only been seen by the Chanel 4 news reporter). The Clean Water 22 were innocent bystanders in a sweep made to capture the one paint gelding that is the focus of the complaint. some were skinny, most were OK, especially considering the late summer, drought conditions. there are 4 foals in this group of 22 and they are all going to the auction.
Despite the knowledge that the advocate group wanted the stallion intact, Horse Power had him gelded–their claim, “it would make him a better candidate for adoption”!!?? can anyone say “spiteful”?. (a bit of history, Horse Power lost their state funding from the NV HP license plates due to an audit revealing “bad books”) “Dickie” the paint was turned out onto private land with his 7 mares, to be monitored by various local advocates. Over the winter months and into the spring, his mares were taken by other intact stallions, but, a couple remained with them. Then, in mid-March he abruptly disappeared! nowhere to be found, until, about mid July, there he was, miles from his home range, in a small band of bachelors, looking fat & sassy–with long hooves-?? WTH?
What amazing timing! just when the NDOA launched their campaign to rid the range of all Virginia Range horses, they pull this “rabbit out of their hat” in an attempt to muzzle and intimidate the advocates. They are gathering horses rapidly–including clearing the range for a local track home developer who does not care to “fence out”–that is too costly, he would rather the state do his job. Must be nice to have low friends in high places!
Advocates are going to do their best to purchase all of the Clean Water 22 to be placed for addoption! Please visit Let’em Run: http://www.letemrun.com and http://www.aowha.org/war/ndoa_horse_sale_1203.html for more information on how you can help! do not let the NDOA and their cold hearted, greedy actions stand!
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So every horse in Nevada is required to be branded?? Or just some? What is that all about? In Arizona we’re open range too. But I’m sure this “fence out” only applies to those who have federal or state grazing allotments. They are not required to keep their livestock within their allotment and in Arizona it’s checker-boarded with state, federal, and private land. But the livestock can go “wherever” there isn’t a fence. If you hit a cow on a small state highway, you’re responsible for paying the cow’s owner – I believe double it’s value – and your vehicle is totaled, also your responsibility. The “developments” that were built during the real estate bubble were built near livestock allotments and even though cattle are ruining people’s fences and landscaping, it is not the livestock owners responsibility. The only fence that keeps cattle out is barbed-wire, just what everyone wants around their nice big houses in these developments outside of the cities. And of course, cattle get special privileges and their owners are responsible for nothing. As far as wild burros coming onto or around private property, I’ve never heard of any home/property owner complaining – they don’t damage anything and they don’t hang out.
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It was the smallest of things that brought down the evils of empires. The great King so powerful stood on the hill and announced the next morning they would charge down and kill all the villagers sparing none. He called for a great party to celebrate the blood taking the next day with his greatly superior force. It trully would be a killing pleasure.
As the night went on, a small veiled girl approached the guard to the King’s tent and told him the King himself had demanded a virgin be brought to him.. She entered the tent to find the King in a drunken snore. She placed the knife beneath his throat and said”I could kill you now but then your sons would kill all my people” I will let you live through his night and your life is mine” She tied the knife to two ropes that if the King yelled out he would slice his own throat.
The army lined up waiting for the king to appear, His guards found him. He told the guards to turn the army and march out of there because if even the youngest child can outwit the many, then how would their entire force be like.
When you are on the side of right, the size of even the smallest battle gains the largest victory.
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So, the Horses have no brands….how do they know who they belong to or where they came from?
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From the news story:
VIRGINIA CITY, NV (Mynews4.com & KRNV)
According to a report done by the Nevada department of Agriculture, eight horses were adopted by the foundation in Carson City in December 2011. Those horses were transported to property owned by Lance Gilman in Storey County where they were let out on what was supposed to be properly fenced in private land.
http://www.tahoereno.com/contact/
BRIEF HISTORY OF THE TAHOE RENO INDUSTRIAL CENTER PROPERTY:
We’ve been told (although it has not been verified) that many, many many years ago the ranch (now known as Tahoe Reno Industrial Center) was once owned by the Wright Brothers. We do know that TRI Center was once owned by Asmeria Mineral, a mining company that was in search of the remnants from the original Comstock load.
Our personal involvement began in 1998 when we purchased the property from the Golf Oil Company. Golf had planned to turn the property into a corporate hunting retreat, complete with live game. However, the economy turned in the mid-1990′s and such corporate “benefits” were the first to go.
MEET OUR TEAM
Lance Gilman
Lance Gilman
Tahoe Reno Industrial Center- Principal and Director
lance@lancegilman.com
Lance Gilman holds the title of Principal and Director for L. Lance Gilman Commercial Real Estate Services (LLG CRES), exclusive brokerage firm for the Tahoe Reno Industrial Center (TRIC). In this vast 100,00+ acre park there is currently over 11 million square feet of manufacturing and distribution facilities for such nationally recognized firms as Wal-Mart, Petsmart, US Ordinance and Alcoa.
Prior to TRIC, in 1988, LLG CRES was responsible for the acquisition, planning and marketing of the 2,500-acre South Meadows Business Park in south Reno. It integrated single-family and multi-family residential, industrial, distribution and retail development. Lance’s broad experience in development includes construction management as the founder of G&E General Contractors in 1985. G&E built various buildings including the AT&T headquarters, the InterTel building and local day care centers. Lance’s long list of achievements in commercial real estate began in San Diego, California in1980 where, as a broker at Grubb and Ellis, he managed major accounts including the development of Murphy Canyon Business Park and assisting in the development of nine major shopping centers in San Diego County.
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*beCOMing §Carier & MoRe ÔMinou§ eVery-day, hearing of
ALL the eVen MADdeR* HATteRs*……lurKing 0ut there ! !
Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T
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Laura Bell raises some good points however I would like to clarify one thing. Yes, people can’t just “turn out” livestock on open land, but that’s not the issue here.
Anyone has the right to graze livestock on private land with the landowner’s permission. If Joe Blow says your animals can eat his grass and drink his water, it’s legal. In fact a lot of the grazing in this state depends on these arrangements. In the event the private land isn’t fully enclosed (fenced or has other natural barriers) then the animals have to be identified (e.g., branded) so that the owner can be identified.
NRS 569.080(4), enacted some 30 years after that original brand law the department is huffing and puffing about, states that when the department of ag sells Virginia Range Horses, the department must provide individual animal identification. The horses receive special freezemarks indicating that they were sold and a NAIS RFID chip (microchip) is implanted and is recorded to the purchaser. I checked with a former brand inspector who said in past practice that these newer freezemarks and high tech microchips met the animal ID requirement.
Ironically one of the battles between advocates and the department was a few years ago when the department decided not to provide animal identification. The department then resumed the practice.
In the department’s own “investigation” they admit that the horse in question was microchipped and properly recorded as the property of Let Em Run.
Let’s also not forget that this is the same range that with the property owner’s permission the state released quite a number of horses over the years. It’s over 100,000 acres. According to a former brand inspector the only time livestock got out was when some off roaders cut fences. The “accused criminals” helped transport the department’s horses back then just the same as they did for Let Em Run. The department didn’t seem to have any problems with it then, but of course those releases were under different department directors and before advocates caught the department slipping horses out the back door to Ole Olsen, the kill buyer.
The advocates made a stink about this stuff so now the department is flexing some muscle. Not an unheard of practice in the Silver State, If you challenge certain agencies it comes with some personal risk. The really sad part is that these are “born and raised” free roaming horses. What the department has done is discourage any other landowners from allowing additional Virginia Range horses to live out their lives on natural private ranges.
Meanwhile Lacy J. Dalton is still trying to get Let Em Run’s rather fit and somewhat rotund “neglected” horse back.
Welcome to Nevada. Watch your back!.
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