Advocates Will Fight On For Nevada's Wild Horses - 8 News NOW

A federal court judge refused to stop the round ups of wild horses and burros that roam government land in Southern Nevada.

The Bureau of Land Management says the animals need to be removed because there is not enough food for them, but advocates accuse the BLM of mismanaging the horses.

The BLM says it has the authority to remove the animals under provisions of the Wild Free-Roaming Horse and Burro Act passed by Congress in 1971.

Louis Schneider, wild horse advocate's attorney, said, "That act was set in by the federal government to protect these horses and burros; not take them down to the lowest common denominator so they are not out there for our enjoyment and our history."

This is a very passionate issue for some people. The Bureau of Land Management says there is not enough food to support the amount of horses and burros. Wild horse advocates say that's not true and the government needs to manage the herds better.

Wild horses represent the picture of freedom to Billie Young. That is why she took on the federal government. She formed America's Wild Horse Advocates.

Together with other horse lovers the group filed a lawsuit at the beginning of January to stop Bureau of Land Management's round up of Nevada's wild horse and burros. 

"We are volunteers with no money to do what we believe is right by the animals," Billie Young said.

Young adopted wild horses in the past and spent the last 15 years fighting for their right to stay in the wild. She listened, as the federal judge denied the request to stop the round-ups.

She continued, "That is part of my disgust with this thing. They have not put in place plans to be proactive to manage the herds appropriately for our future."

Getting rid of the wild animals would not be her answer and the attorney for the group says the government should add feeders and extra water like other agencies do for other animals.

Louis Schneider said, "Anyone who has spent time in the desert sees guzzlers for quail. They see guzzlers for big horn sheep."

He adds the government does not want the hassle of actually managing the herds. "I think it is labor intensive. I think it's controversial and it's best and easiest to take them off the land," Schneider said.

The judge's decision to reject a preliminary injunction ends the court battle, but not he legal fight over the round-ups. The wild horse advocates who sued say they will file another lawsuit.

They say the BLM did not consider doing anything but rounding up wild horses and burros. Some advocates want the government to manage the herds by providing water and food like other government agencies do for quail and the big horn sheep.

Billie Young, wild horse advocate, said, "Unfortunately, we feel that there is only legal action to bring them to task."

Young says at the beginning of this month the BLM captured 95-percent of the wild herds around the Spring Mountains.

Attorneys for the Department of Interior would not comment on camera. They walked away from Eyewitness News, as they left the federal courthouse.

Attorney Jimmy Rodriguez, Dept. of Interior: "No comment."

The BLM released this statement late Tuesday afternoon: "Our goal is to maintain healthy and viable herds of wild horses and burros. The best way to do that is balance the number of animals with the environment that supports them."

It's not an acceptable explanation for the people who enjoy watching this kind of freedom.

The group plans to file another lawsuit in the next week saying the Bureau of Land Management did not consider other options to the round ups like feeding the herds. The group says the money for feeders and extra water could come from the BLM land sales.

During the last round up in the Spring Mountain Range, the BLM collected 289 wild horses and 571 burros. They will now be moved, or put up for adoption.

There are 127 wild horses and more than 134 burros that remain on the government owned land.

Email your comments to Reporter Edward Lawrence.

The Bureau of Land Management will meet in Washington, D.C. in February to discuss issues relating to the management and protection of wild horses and burros on western range lands.

The advisory board will provide input and advice to the BLM relating to the wild free-roaming horses and burros act.

The BLM manages about 31,000 wild horses and burros that roam federally owned land in ten western states, including Nevada.

The BLM has come under scrutiny for failing to properly care for the animals.

The meeting is set for Feb. 26.