What advocates discovered were about two acres of unfenced and weedy and alfalfa that was being watered just a few hundred yards inside the Carson City limits. The ground was uneven and rocky, clearly unsuitable for commercial harvesting.

What the advocates also discovered was that the property that locals have now dubbed as the “Drako Feeding Facility,” for its location on Drako Rd., was owned by noneother than Governor Gibbon’s Chief Deputy for Agriculture, Lynn Hettrick.

Hettrick, who of all people should understand fencing regulations and issues involving unfenced alfalfa and its attraction to range horses and cattle, apparently decided to put on a demonstration of Nevada’s most inept alfalfa farm.

Many of us live in agricultural areas and this plot of land looks to be little more than someone’s attempt to throw out some alfalfa seeds on ungraded and unprepared soil, apply some water, and call it a legitimate agricultural activity. Ordinarily what someone does on his/her own property is not public business, however this situation is an exception.

In checking with Carson City Code Enforcement, the state’s fence-out laws apply within the city limits. (Carson City is a combined city-county government.) Virginia Range horses, BLM wild horses, range cattle and mule deer roam within the city limits so anyone engaged in any activities where they don’t want such animals intruding is required to construct a legal fence.

This situation gets worse.

Through ignoring laws and standard practices the Governor’s Deputy Chief of Staff has constructed an attractive nuisance for horses, causing them to regularly cross the highway. Apparently his solution is to use his influence, have the Nevada Department of Transportation put out flashing signs to warn motorists of horses on the highway and have the Nevada Department of Agriculture trap the horses and ship them to the Fallon Livestock Exchange (kill buyer’s sale.)

State law proscribes that Virginia Range horses are to be made available to non-profit adoption cooperators, then turned over to the sale yard for disposal if they are not claimed. While the actual statute is not specific in the order in which these two options are to be exercised, simple logic and the State Archives show legislative intent to be clear on this matter. However the Gibbons administration writes its own rules and as of this posting, intends to send these horses directly to the sale.

Once again people associated with the Gibbons Administration appear to be exempt from the same rules that the rest of us are expected to follow, the public has been put at risk, and the taxpayers will once again clean up the mess. In this instance it is likely that these horses that are fondly regarded by local residents will also pay the price with their lives.

What you can do.

• Contact Governor Gibbons. It’s his chief deputy who is involved. 
  • Governor’s Office telephone: 775-684-5670 
  • Governor’s “contact” form: www.gov.state.nv.us/Contact_Us_NORTHX.htm
• Contact Lynn Hettrick. What is he doing and how does he get special treatment? 
  • Governor’s Office telephone: 775-684-5670 
  • Hettrick’s email: lhettrick@govmail.state.nv.us

• Contact Tony Lesperance. He is the person who decides where the horses will go. 
  • Director Lesperance’s telephone: 775-353-3613 
  • Lesperance’s email: tlesperance@agri.state.nv.us

This strange “farming” operation has likely guaranteed that these horses will be removed from the range. What concerned parties can do is to keep them from going to the sale, and prevent a repeat of such careless enterprises in the future.

Livestock Exchange

Article SOURCE: Alliance of Wild Horse Advocates Wild Horse War Room

Photo credits go to H. Bonnie Matton.

Sept. 22, 2010