8.24.05

Hello, Fellow Peace Warriors:

The prairie dogs need your help!

We need as many people as possible to attend the Boulder Urban Wildlife Management Plan meeting tonight to show the city we want non-lethal control. You can start by taking one or two minutes to visit http://www.ci.boulder.co.us/planning/wildlife_plan/commentform.htm and comment in favor of non-lethal control for prairie dogs (and perhaps other wildlife species). Lindsey says, “Remember, prairie dogs equal ecosystem!”

The meeting takes place at the West Senior Center, 909 Arapahoe, and begins at 6 p.m., though the first half hour is an open house, and runs until 8:30 p.m. (followed by another open house). We are told that the purpose of this meeting is “to get input on the various viewpoints in the community about the value of urban wildlife, conflicts with wildlife, and the long-term vision for wildlife conservation. The feedback will help staff develop specific management philosophies and actions for a wildlife management plan.” Please attend! If you know you are coming for sure, please email Lindsey at LindseyS@rmad.org. Some people will be meeting at Alexander’s (the new, larger version, across from Mustard’s Last Stand) at 5 p.m. to gather and fuel up.

The prairie dogs are under endless assault. This week we answered numerous phone calls and e-mails dealing with prairie dogs on private property, being poisoned on city property across the Front Range, and about how to get them relocated to safety. We also assisted in another six inquiries dealing with companion animals and another ten ranging from fires in Yugoslavia to legal issues involving wildlife.

Companion Animals:
If you read the Colorado Daily, you might find a bilingual RMAD spay/neuter file inside! We worked with the Colorado Daily to distribute 10,000 of these fliers in today’s campus/hill edition. The flier garnered much positive feedback as a result of Donna’s presentation the previous week, as well as RMAD’s stance on companion animal issues such as declawing. One shelter operator said her cats give us two paws up!

Fundraising:
RMAD spends very little time and money on fundraising, but if RMAD is to continue its crucial work, we need money! We’re planning a fall celebration so please let Donna (DonnaM@rmad.org) know what kind of event you’d like to attend and/or if you would like to help plan or volunteer. We’re leaning toward a potluck but if you have some other ideas, please share!

Save that date:
Great friend to RMAD and even greater friend to the animals, Marc Bekoff, will be on Good Morning America on September 9 to discuss morality in animals. Check it out!!

One person making a difference:
Sheryl Bass had her letter to the editor in favor of prairie dogs printed today! Big thanks to Sheryl. The letter follows the Calendar section.

Did you know?
According to PETA’s rigorous research:
- Each year in the U.S., 27 billion animals are consumed (17 billion are fish, mostly shellfish)
- Each year in the U.S., 10 billion animals are raised and consumed (i.e., on factory farms)

Job Opportunity:
Our friends at Skyline Sanctuary & Education Center have announced a position with their organization for Director of Humane Education. The position is full time with a salary commensurate with experience and education. They're looking to hire as soon as possible, so if you are interested, please take a look and get in touch with them as soon as you can. The link for full information is:
http://www.idealist.org/en/ip/idealist/SiteIndex/AssetViewer/default?SID=3bb760b443e078382a4031bc630776bb&asset-id=123671%3A273&asset=Org

RMAD Community:
Do you have electronic images of the RMAD community in action at a protest, gathering, potluck, or otherwise? If you would like to share this for our use, please send to Chris at ChrisJ@rmad.org. Thanks!

Volunteer Opportunity of the Week:
We need a person to coordinate letter writing for various campaigns. For example, when the circus comes to town, we need people to write letters to local newspapers in opposition to the circus. If you’d like to coordinate this effort or volunteer to write letters, contact Chris at ChrisJ@rmad.org.

Hope to see you all at the Wildlife Management Plan meeting tonight!

- Chris and Donna

On the Calendar
8.24.05 Boulder Urban Wildlife Management Plan
8.27.05 Fur Demo
9.4.05 HEALTH Potluck - CANCELLED
9.23-9.24 Animal Care Conference - CANCELLED
Ongoing Petition to Save Highlands Ranch Prairie Dogs
Ongoing Vegetarian Parents of Denver Meeting

August 24: Prairie Wildlife – Boulder Urban Wildlife Management Plan Meeting
The first public meeting of the Urban Wildlife Management Plan process will be held on Wednesday, August 24, from 6pm to 9pm at the West Senior Center, 909 Arapahoe (just west of the Boulder Public Library). The purpose of the meeting is to gather input from the community on the goals for the plan, identification of issues, management philosophy and guiding principles for urban wildlife management. There’ll be only two public meetings on this issue. We MUST have representation at this meeting. The other side definitely will. Lets out-number them! Please plan to attend! Mark this date on your calendars now! More details to follow.


Saturday, August 27: Fur Demo
When: 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM. Posters and leaflets will be provided. Bring an umbrella just in case!
Where: Marks Lloyds Furs, 263 Josephine between 2nd and 3rd in Cherry Creek See directions below.
Directions: From I-25 take Speer South to University. Turn Left (North, see Whole Foods Market on your Right after you turn onto University). University turns into Josephine after you cross 2nd. Marks Lloyds will, be on your Left just before 3rd. Don't forget to buy a parking ticket to place on your dash board from one of the green parking boxes marked with a (P) that are located on each block. From 6th Avenue going East, or 8th Avenue going West. go South on York (a one way street) to 3rd. Turn Left (East) on 3rd. Josephine is the next street. Marks Lloyds is behind Little Ollies which you will see on the corner of 3rd and Josephine. Call 303-807-1886 if you need help with directions.

September 4: HEALTH Potluck CANCELLED!!

September 22-24: Animal Care Conference CANCELLED!!
Grand Hyatt, Downtown Denver

Ongoing: Petition to save Highlands Ranch PDOGS
PLEASE visit www.dccwildlife.org to view this and other petitions.

Ongoing: Vegetarian Parents of Denver Meeting
Vegetarian Parents of Denver meet the second Saturday of every month. We discuss a variety of issues, share resources and are even starting an organic food buying club. We welcome parents of children of any age. Bring the kids and we have a babysitter watch them in another room. Our next meeting is June 11 at 10 a.m.- 12 p.m. You can call 303 355 5272 or e-mail Laura Patrick (veganmom2002@yahoo.com) for directions. Or join our online discussion group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/compassionate_future/.




Note on plague:
Plague is actually not "natural"- it is a non-native disease brought over from Europe that our North American wildlife succumb to. Furthermore, sylvatic plague outbreaks in the wild are a major reason why we must regulate the anthropogenic threats prairie dogs face such as poisoning, bulldozing, shooting and any lethal population control.

PRAIRIE DOGS
Plan must contain creative solutions
Today from 6 to 9 p.m., city officials will gather at 909 Arapahoe Ave. to decide the fate of our prairie-dog population. This Boulder Urban Wildlife Management Plan meeting is open to the public and will cover the feasibility of non-lethal methods for addressing human encroachment on wildlife habitats. Prairie-dog management options include relocation, containment (with walls and fences) and trap/neuter/release programs involving the purchase of inexpensive release sites in eastern Colorado.

It has been stated that the city of Boulder spends half a million dollars per year on prairie dogs. In reality, during the past five and a half years, Boulder has spent $122,166 per year on prairie-dog ecosystem management (which assists other area human and animal residents).

Another popular misconception is that prairie dogs transmit plague. It is true that every five years or so, entire prairie dog colonies die off from plague. Perhaps this is nature's way of managing prairie-dog overpopulation. Although prairie dogs are one of 76 mammal species that carry plague, more than 95 percent of infected rodents die within 78 hours. Therefore, if you see live prairie dogs, they likely do not carry plague.

Of the 51 human plague cases in Colorado since 1957, 10 were prairie dog-related and of the 10, only one resulted in death. Infected fleas transmit plague to prairie-dog colonies. Therefore, prairie-dog poisoning releases affected fleas into the environment, posing health risks to domestic pets. Dusting burrows with insecticide powder is a far more effective plague control method.

Nearly every society has addressed the issue of animals they believe are overpopulated ? deemed "pests." Recall the outrage of the international community when thousands of "unsightly" stray dogs were poisoned throughout the streets of Greece just in time for the recent Olympic games. Whether a society attempts to find creative solutions to coexist with non-human residents renders it either callous or compassionate. Let's use this issue to demonstrate the progressive community image Boulder projects.

SHERYL BASS Boulder