Note: The following petition was written and posted in April 2024. No changes have been made to the petition itself since then. To see what has happened since April 2024, visit the "petition updates section" (located right after the comments section). 

April 2024 Petition to Protect Mt Charleston Horses

One of the best things about living in or visiting Mt Charleston is seeing the wild horses. Long-term residents say that they grew up with the horses, as the horses have lived up here since at least the '70s, bringing immense joy to the community throughout the years. Most residents of Mt. Charleston are absolutely thrilled when the horses visit our property, as we know what a rare gift it is to live alongside wild horses-- horses who, unlike so many of their conspecifics, enjoy their basic right to roam free. 

Despite that the wild horses are cherished and beloved members of our community, the United States Forest Service (USFS) recently announced a costly plan to remove them from the mountain (although the plan isn't finalized yet). A USFS representative suggested at the March 28th Town Advisory Board meeting in Mt Charleston that the horses in Kyle Canyon may be transferred to a "rescue" near Pahrump (the USFS hasn't named this rescue, so we have no idea what the acreage is). The USFS hasn't given any indication of what might happen to the horses in Lee Canyon if they are relocated.

It is unclear why, after so many years, the USFS is planning to force these animals out of the only home they have ever known. And we firmly believe that, instead of spending its limited funds removing beloved wildlife, the USFS should spend those funds restoring the many trails it closed since the 2023 flood. We thus call upon the USFS to:

(1) let our horses be-- let them be free, happy, and loved in Mt Charleston, 

and because we want our horses to be safe and realize that they aren't totally safe right now, given that people sometimes  break the law by feeding and touching them, we also call upon the USFS to:

(2) establish a volunteer program that aims at educating the public about the moral and legal issues with feeding and petting wild horses, 

(3) regularly issue citations and warnings to those caught violating the 1971 Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act. And we ask that the number of citations and warnings issued be reported at every TAB meeting,

And (4)  schedule a special public meeting with the Mt Charleston community that focuses just on wild horses and gives community members the opportunity to ask questions and propose solutions.

With a little effort and loving kindness, we can peacefully co-exist with our equine neighbors on this beautiful mountain--a mountain that is home to both humans and animals alike and should be treated as such.

*Additional notes

(1) Many wild horses who are rounded up by the Federal Government end up in the "slaughter pipeline," despite that the public is told that the horses are being "adopted" or sent to "rescues." For instance, The New York Times recently reported that the BLM paid folks $1,000 to adopt wild horses, and many of the people who "adopted" the horses just dumped them at slaughter auctions once they were paid.

And there are similar concerns related to the USFS round-ups of wild horses. In some cases, their adoption fees are so small (as little as $25), which makes them attractive to "kill buyers" (i.e., folks who buy horses for a cheap fee only to have them sent to Mexico or Canada to be slaughtered for food).

Even if our horses were to end up at a decent rescue, we still oppose the relocation of the horses. Our wild horses are accustomed to roaming miles in the mountain each day, foraging for food. Preventing them from doing this likely will lead to boredom, frustration, and the inability to fully use their skills. At the very least, the USFS should take the above mentioned steps before kicking the horses out of their home and subjecting them to the limitations inherent to captivity. 

(2) We reached out to the USFS  area manager of Mt Charleston on April 4th to inquire about the "rescue" that has offered to take the horses. We never received a response.  We reached out again on April 21st to let the USFS know of our petition and to give them an opportunity to clarify the specifics of the "rescue"/"adoption" process. We received a reply on April 24th and have updated the petition to reflect their claim that no plans have been finalized and that there are no agreements between the HTNF and any rescues at this time.