4.22.05

Hi, All-

HOT OFF THE PRESS: We’ve just learned that RMAD’s friend Marc Bekoff has received the 2004-05 Faculty Community Service Award from Bank One. Congratulations, Marc!

The office has been somewhat electric this week, what with the upcoming Prairie Dog Coalition fundraiser (7 pm tonight! Naropa at 63rd and Arapahoe! Be there!) and the Coalition’s first annual meeting this weekend. Certainly the Coalition’s coordinator, Lindsey Sterling Krank, generates the electricity. As you know, RMAD played a pivotal role in the formation of the Coalition, and we continue to provide administrative and strategic advice to this powerful young group.

RMAD is coordinating a Sunday meeting for Coalition members who are particularly invested in the urban/suburban prairie wildlife crisis. Our thanks to Katy Reagan Oakes for her work on this.

RMAD made strides this week on our effort to get our 700-colony database online. This project will serve as a tool for advocates, policymakers and educators. We’re just about finished laying the groundwork for this important effort.

RMAD also had a presence at the initial meeting of the City of Boulder’s urban wildlife management planning group this week.

I had a nice exchange with a high-school class at New Vista this week. All of the 30 or so students indicated they are familiar with the term “vegan.” There was in fact a vegan student in the room, and another five vegetarians. We had a good talk about food choices, and we went over some native wildlife issues, as well.

Although RMAD focuses on veg’ism and prairie wildlife, our other efforts continue. This week we sent a letter to the president of Nalge Nunc (makers of Nalgene) with an official request for the company to stop promoting vivisection. If you’re interested, it’s appended to this email. (Go waaaaay down to the bottom!) Thanks to Mike Stabler, Paula Lewis and Mark Reinhardt for their efforts.

Intrepid Jennifer Bailey continues to lead the effort to distribute RMAD’s companion animal doorknob flyers. Rumor has it Jennifer goes out on her own, door to door, getting out the word that dog’s tails should not be cropped, cat’s claws should not be surgically removed, backyard chains are cruel and pet stores contribute directly to the deaths of our companion animal friends. If you want to help companion animals, there’s another chance this weekend – and next! Just shoot an email to jenniferb@rmad.org or donnam@rmad.org.

On Saturday, the reactionaries at Marks-Lloyd’s Furs attempted again to illegally impede demonstrators. They set up barricades only to be told by police to remove them.

Because of the continuing potential for conflict at some RMAD protests and the need for us to be as effective as possible in our advocacy, RMAD will conduct nonviolence training with the generous assistance of our friends at the Rocky Mountain Peace and Justice Center. We’re looking at May 21 as a likely date.

In addition to this work and a smattering of requests for assistance, RMAD has dealt with two intensive prairie dog issues and two intensive companion animal issues over the past two weeks.

Finally, and as a bit of a heads-up, RMAD has signed on for the guest panel on the Peter Boyles show (Denver, KBDI Channel 12) scheduled for 7 PM Wednesday, April 27. The topic is animal cruelty. We, of course, have a lot to say.

[Reminder: Nalgene letter is below]

David Crawford, Executive Director
Rocky Mountain Animal Defense
2525 Arapahoe, #E4-335
Boulder, CO 80302
303-449-4422 / www.rmad.org

RMAD has been advocating for animals and serving the public since 1994.


April 22, 2005


Mr. Craig Jack, President
Nalge Nunc International
75 Panorama Creek Drive
Rochester, NY 14625

Dear Mr. Jack:

I am writing as the director of Rocky Mountain Animal Defense – an organization dedicated to helping eliminate the human-imposed suffering of animals. This letter is in regard to your company’s support of the use of animals in research, specifically through the sale of devices used exclusively in animal research.

Public education is the foundation of all of RMAD’s efforts. Whether we are speaking to a college class, staffing a table at a festival, posting a new website, or demonstrating outside a store that sells products tested on animals, RMAD’s message is the same – animals are suffering and together we can stop it.

I would like to update you regarding RMAD’s leadership of the international Boycott Nalgene campaign.

As you likely know, Rocky Mountain Animal Defense has been reaching out to consumers and retailers, requesting that they not purchase or use Nalgene water bottles until Nalge Nunc International no longer sells products used exclusively for animal testing.

Once this change occurs, RMAD will call off the boycott, contacting retailers, consumers, news outlets and websites that are currently involved with the boycott. In this event, and should you so choose, RMAD also is willing to work with Nalge Nunc International to alert the general public to the fact that your company has taken this important and humane step to reduce animal suffering.

I would appreciate knowing what your immediate and long-term plans might be regarding selling products used specifically for animal testing. I hope to learn that you are about to remove these items from your substantial product line, and therefore that the boycott can be ended shortly.

I know you must be a busy person. Regardless, if possible, I would appreciate hearing from you by the end of May.

Sincerely,



David Crawford, Executive Director