CARSON CITY, Nev. – The Nevada Department of Agriculture today announced it is investigating the release of captured feral-estray horses from the Washoe Valley area.
The Department was contacted recently that feral-estray horses were running loose on U.S. Highway 395 South near Washoe Hill.
An NDA enforcement officer worked with a private landowner to safely secure the horses onto the landowner’s property in order to gather them in accordance with the Department’s agreement with the Return To Freedom Wild Horse Sanctuary. The agreement states that the Department of Agriculture only gathers Virginia Range horses when there is a public safety concern, such as horses on roadways and in urban areas.
“We believe that one or two individuals last night or early this morning cut the property owner’s fence and chain and released the horses into an unfenced area about 100 yards from the intersection of U.S. Highway 395 and Pawnee Lane,” said Flint Wright, administrator of the Department’s Division of Animal Industry.
“The horses were first gathered for their own safety, as well as the safety of motorists and any potential pedestrians in the area. We are lucky no accidents occurred and that the horses are safe.”
Anyone with any information about this incident is encouraged to call the Nevada Department of Agriculture at 775-353-3608.
In November 2012, three estray horses on U.S. 395 in Pleasant Valley caused a two-car accident. One motorist received minor injuries, two vehicles had significant damage and three horses died.
