Monday, March 30, 2015

American Wild Horse Agreement already in peril - ***** New Update 4/2


Here is the update I received in an e-mail this morning:


BREAKING NEWS...........
The Nevada Assembly Natural Resources Committee has cancelled tomorrow's hearing on Assembly Bill 431 (AB431). 
 

AB 431 Manage horses- PULLED,hopefully forever.
This bill requires the State Department of Agriculture to develop and implement a program for the humane and ecologically sound management of those feral, estray or wild horses that do not fall under the responsibility and protection of the Federal Government.  Author:  Asm Cmte on Natural Resources


-------------------------------------------------Hopefully, the pending bill mentioned below is now tabled and will not be re-visitied (at least that is the hope) _---------------------------------------------------------------------






I am cross posting this from an e-mail .... I am not the contact person 

Historic Agreement for Wild Horse Preservation in peril: Please read and respond, especially if you are from Nevada.


NOTE DATE CORRECTION: Please attend the Assembly Natural Resources Committee hearing next Thursday, April 2 at 1:30 p.m., in Carson City or Las Vegas to stand up for the Virginia Range horses. The Assembly Natural Resources Committee will consider AB431 -- a bill that would require the wholesale removal and disposal of the Virginia Range horses. This would replace the recently finalized public-private partnership to humanely manage these wild horses in northern Nevada.
What:        Assembly Natural Resources Committee hearing
When:       Thursday, April 2, 2015 at 1:30 p.m.
Where:      Room 3138 of the Legislative Building, 401 S. Carson St., Carson City, NV.
This Committee hearing could be video-conferenced to Las Vegas if requested by constituents. Please email us for more information.
Currently AWHPC is working with Nevada Department of Agriculture (NDA) and local wild horse advocacy groups to humanely manage the Virginia Range mustangs. We have worked on this win-win, public-private partnership with the state of Nevada for two long years. AB461 would replace that humane management partnership with removals, sales to slaughter auction, and the potential gelding and spaying of horses on the range.
We hope to have as many people as possible attend in opposition to AB431, which is bad for Nevada, bad for the horses!
You can submit comments in opposition to AB 431 by clicking here or emailing the committee directly at AsmNRAM@asm.state.nv.us Comments must be received before 2 p.m. on Wednesday.

Talking Points
 I strongly oppose AB431 as it would undermine the cost-saving public-private partnership for humanely managing the Virginia Range horses. Nevadans have worked for two years to establish a humane management plan with the state and this bill will likely sabotage all the work that has been undertaken.
 The current private-public partnership for on-the-range management of the Virginia Range mustangs are a win-win situation for Nevada taxpayers, advocates, the State of Nevada and the horses. AB431 will cause private funding for the private-public management plan to be lost.  Local and national advocates will not invest their time and resources in a program in which the end result is the capture of horses that would be sold for slaughter.
 We Nevadans love our Virginia Range horses. We strongly oppose AB431 which will harm our Virginia Range horses and damage Nevada's tourism "brand."
 How much will AB431 cost?  Under the current private-public management agreement, most of the management costs are borne by the non-profit groups.  When those funds are lost, will the Nevada taxpayers have to pick up the bill?

.
Hope to see you on Thursday!
- The AWHPC Team

Background
In March 2013, we entered into a cooperative agreement with the state to prevent captured Virginia Range horses from being sent to a slaughter auction. On March 19, we signed a management cooperative agreement with the State to keep horses safe, improve public safety and prevent more horses from being captured and removed from their homes on the range. AB431 would undermine this hard work.

American Wild Horse Preservation Campaign 



BEVERLEE McGRATH
Nevada Legislative Specialist & Special Projects
ASPCA
Best Friends Animal Society
Nevada Humane Society
SPCA of No. Nevada
NV Political Action for Animals
Lake Tahoe Humane Society & SPCA
Compassion Charity of America
Pet Network Humane Society
Wylie Animal Rescue Foundation
Paw Pac
Lake Tahoe Wolf Rescue
Hidden Valley Horse Rescue
Fallon Animal Welfare Group
BevDDAL@msn.co
775) 815-1690 (805) 816-4155
website:  www.helpanimalsnv.org/index.html