16 feral horses in Carson City to be vaccinated and relocated

On Monday, Feb. 6, the Nevada Department of Agriculture (NDA) gathered 16 feral horses that were wandering in east Carson City for about three weeks. The horses will be vaccinated with fertility control drugs, as part of an agreement between the NDA and the American Wild Horse Preservation Campaign (AWHPC), and then relocated to an area south of Highway 50 near Stagecoach.

“The horses were running on main roads and in neighborhoods in Carson City, presenting a major traffic and safety hazard,” Sgt. Chris Miller, NDA agriculture enforcement officer, said. “They got into the city through a down fence in the area above Eagle Valley Golf Course.”

The group (often referred to as a band) of horses is currently being held at the Carson City Correctional Facility where they will be vaccinated before relocation. The band is small enough that relocation to Stagecoach will not push other horses into urban areas.

These horses are part of the Virginia Range estray horse population, which extends east to west from Highway 395 to 95A and north to south from I-80 to Highway 50. To report horses in the Virginia Range area that pose a threat to public safety, please call the horse hotline at (775) 353-3608 or email horse@agri.nv.gov.

The Nevada Department of Agriculture (NDA) promotes a business climate that is fair, economically viable and encourages a sustainable environment that serves to protect food, fiber and human health and safety through effective service and education. The NDA includes divisions of Administration, Animal Industry, Consumer Equitability, Food and Nutrition and Plant Industry.