A federal judge gave after-the-fact approval today for the government to gather wild horses and burros around Las Vegas, Nev.

U.S. District Judge Kent Dawson rejected efforts by Nevada-based America’s Wild Horse Advocates and Wild Horses 4 Ever to stop the process and have the animals returned to the range.

The same judge refused to stop the Bureau of Land Management from conducting the round-up earlier this month.

Advocate Billie Young says she’s disappointed that the horses were already rounded up and offered for adoption before opponents had their day in court