Dozens of wild horse advocates held signs Thursday in front of the Nevada Legislature in Carson City to protest last week's decision by the BLM to remove a band of 11 wild horses from the outskirts of town.
The removal of the horses sparked passionate protests from local residents and national organizations such as the Humane Society of the United States and the American Wild Horse Preservation Campaign.
The BLM cited complaints regarding public safety risks as the reason for the removal. The horses, the BLM said, routinely crossed the Carson River into River View City Park, where the BLM has received several complaints. The move was done, the BLM said, for the protection and safety of the public and of the horses.
The horses were transported to the Northern Nevada Correctional Center in Carson City, where they will be prepared for an adoption event on Saturday, March 23, at Silver Saddle Ranch in southeast Carson City.
The horses are a part of the Pine Nut Mountains herd management area that is adjacent to Deer Run Road in Carson City.
— Photos by Elaine Quilici