Federal Officials Want Nevada Wild Horse Sale to Continue

RENO, Nev. (AP) — Lawyers for the U.S. Forest Service are trying to persuade a federal judge in Reno to lift an emergency order blocking a Nevada tribe from auctioning off horses gathered last week near the Oregon line.

A coalition of wild horse advocates persuaded U.S. District Judge Miranda Du to grant a temporary restraining order late Friday night that prohibited the Fort McDermitt Paiute-Shoshone from selling any unbranded mustangs at an auction in Fallon where hundreds of other horses were sold on Saturday.

The critics say dozens of the horses are federally protected and shouldn't be sold at the auction where most will end up being sent to slaughter. The Forest Service says the tribe is the rightful owner of the horses. The judge has scheduled a hearing for 1:30 p.m. Wednesday.