12.28.05

Hi Friends:

Boulder advocates are mourning not only the loss of a small but valuable colony of prairie dogs, but also the weakening of prairie dog protection within the city. The Calvary Bible Church of Boulder killed several prairie dogs on its property in northeast Boulder. This is the first killing to occur since the City of Boulder modified its wildlife ordinance in January 2005 to allow the killing of prairie dogs. Several prairie dogs were poisoned on Friday by Calvary, and any that were left were buried/bulldozed on Saturday.

A group of about 18 activists assembled outside the church and on 28th Street to protest the killings on Friday. RMAD and Wild Places have been working over the past month to find a way to relocate the animals to safety. On December 19, Susan Honeycutt of Wild Places received a commitment from the owner of a viable release site on the south side of town. Calvary Bible Church authorities refused to meet with RMAD and Wild Places to discuss the site, instead choosing to proceed with the extermination. The incident received coverage in the Daily Camera on December 24 (http://www.dailycamera.com/bdc/county_news/article/0,1713,BDC_2423_4339771,00.html).

ACTION ALERT: We urge you to write letters to the editor about the shameful nature of this killing, and in response to the article that was published about the RMAD protest. Address your letter to openforum@dailycamera.com.

A big thanks to Mark Reinhardt for appearing on today’s “Good Morning Colorado” with Steve Kelly. Mark appeared as a spokesperson for RMAD on the topic of websites that are popping up to document the whereabouts of “vicious” dogs. Mark spoke eloquently, as usual, on the relationship between domestic violence and animal abuse, as well as the larger issues of animal suffering and the need for better solutions, not quick-fixes like websites and breed bans.

Speaking of companion animals, RMAD staff (Donna and Chris) along with volunteer Kathleen Neubauer visited the Denver Municipal Animal Shelter to drop off a load of blankets. We took a tour of the facilities and spent some time saying hello to the animals. Some blankets have gone to an animal sanctuary and more will be going to Mariah’s Promise, which has been a savior for many pit bulls evicted by the breed bans. The blanket drive was also featured in the Boulder Daily Camera. While the drive has officially ended, if you’ve got a load, give us a call. Thanks to everyone who donated and collected blankets, especially Steve and Tami Conley and Kathleen Neubauer!

We are looking for a new, larger office space in Boulder to accommodate our needs. Let us know if you can help us.

For every $5 you pledge per month (minimum one-year commitment), you will receive an entry into the drawing for a weekend at Denver’s Oxford Hotel and dinner for two at Watercourse Foods. We are accepting new monthly donors until December 31st, and If you are already a donor and wish to increase your donation, you will likewise receive an entry for every five dollars you pledge. If you have signed up to be a monthly donor in the last month, you are automatically entered in the drawing. Contact Chris at chrisj@rmad.org to sign up.

Our email-based silent auction ends at close of day today. I’ve posted the initials of the current high bidders on the items. The items are:

Item #1: Mountainsmith Camera backpack. This amazing camera pack has a retail value of $100 and is brand new. This item can be seen at: http://www.summithut.com/catalog/remap/product.asp/mfgID/216/pfid/19061/RC/vendor_Mountainsmith/. Current bid $50. (RB)
Item #2: Vegan dessert-of-the-month for one year. Choose from a selection of homemade vegan desserts by Ann Swissdorf, enough for two people. Value is at least $380. Current bid $140. (SP)
Items #3 and 4: A custom gift basket from www.GiftsfromColorado.com. Value of $60 each. One current bid of $20, (JY) one still available.
Item #5: Peregrine Falcon print, framed. Really nice art print of a falcon in mid-air. Current bid $25. (DM)
Item #6: Dan Piraro “Bizarro” original circus cartoon. Original mock-up with corrections and autograph. Current bid $70. (MS)
Item #7: Copywriting services for a 2-4 page brochure with graphic design (two-fold or tri-fold brochure: Professional design of one standard-sized bi-fold or tri-fold brochure (8.5" x 11" when fully opened), 2 design studies/ choices, Incorporation of your logo and company colors, Insertion of up to 3 royalty-free images/photos, Up to 4 revisions, design saved in PDF and TIF) – $800-1000 value. Starting bid $100.

Item #8: Massage by CMT Joysa Winters. Current bid $50. (SS)

Item #9: Flexi 16-foot retractable leash (the best!) and two dog washes from Colorado Canines. Current bid $30. (KN)

Item #10: Package including organic RMAD shirt with logo on front, “Tofu and Soyfoods Cookery” cookbook, “Meat Market” by Erik Marcus, signed, “The Witness Video” by Tribe of Heart, one box of Tulsi Tea (assorted organic teas). Current bid $125. (BH)

Item #11: Package including “Meat Market” by Erik Marcus, signed, “The Vegan Epicure” cookbook, “Nature’s Life Lessons” by Jim Carrier and Marc Bekoff, two boxes of Tulsi Tea, and an organic RMAD logo t-shirt. Current bid $35. (LS)

Item #12: Package including a $25 gift certificate to Turley’s Restaurant in Boulder, “Tofu Cookery” cookbook, “The Witness” DVD, two boxes Tulsi Tea, one organic RMAD logo shirt. Current bid $36. (MG)

Item #13: Package including “The Veg-Feasting Cookbook,” “The Witness” video, “Strolling With Our Kin” by Marc Bekoff, signed, one box, Tulsi tea, one box Pixie Mate – Lemon, and an organic RMAD logo shirt. Starting bid $30. (LS)

Item #14: T Shirt Package Including three various eco-themed Jim Morris t-shirts and an organic RMAD “Cruelty-Free” t-shirt. Starting bid $20.

Item #15 is a sweet Schwinn cruiser bike and has a value well over $300. The starting bid is $175. (Email me if you need a picture).

Item #16, an exquisite print of a market in Mali, Africa. Volunteer Coordinator Lindsey Sterling says she's been to that market. The adobe mosque pictured is said to be the oldest in the world (I think). Current bid, $35. (WH)

To make a bid, email Chris at chrisj@rmad.org. If you have won an item, I’ll be sure to contact you when the bidding has ended.

Good friend Dave Hatch of Skyline Sanctuary is hosting a New Year’s Bash and you’re invited! See the Evite below for more info and to RSVP.




New Year's Bash & Housewarming
Hi everyone,Hope you can make it!Dave
View Evite Invitation
HAPPY NEW YEAR!

- Chris and Donna


Rocky Mountain Animal Defense Calendar of Events:




Saturday, December 31: Fur Demo

When: 11:30 AM. 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.

Please help us spread the truth about fur, in Denver. Here's the scoop about fur:
http://www.furisdead.com/feat/ChineseFurFarms/
http://www.hsus.org/wildlife/issues_facing_wildlife/fur_and_trapping/
http://www.furisdead.com/getActive.asp
http://www.furisdead.com/photos-traps.asp
http://www.bancrueltraps.com/
http://www.furkills.org/
http://www.infurmation.com
Stock Show Protest: January 14, 2006

When: 11 a.m.
Where: National Western Complex

Please mark your calendars and plan to attend. Details to follow!
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/.

12.21.05

Fellow Humanitarians:

RMAD’s efforts to save the remaining city-dwelling prairie dogs continue. Advocates have been meeting until the late hours of the night to analyze the city’s past and present stance on prairie dogs, and to strategize the continuing battle with development. The situation is incredibly complicated, with numerous agencies, corporate interests, and citizens involved. We’ll be sure to keep you updated and let you know how you can help.

We are looking for a new, larger office space in Boulder to accommodate our needs. Our budget is modest, in the $350-600 range, depending on amenities such as high-speed internet access, conference room, vegan-friendly kitchen. If you have any leads or can refer us to a realtor who wants to help Colorado’s leading advocates continue their work, please contact Chris at chrisj@rmad.org.

Don’t miss out! We are still accepting new monthly donors until December 31st, and for every $5 you pledge per month (minimum one-year commitment), you will receive an entry into the drawing for a weekend at Denver’s Oxford Hotel and dinner for two at Watercourse Foods. If you are already a donor and wish to increase your donation, you will likewise receive an entry for every five dollars you pledge. If you have signed up to be a monthly donor in the last month, you are automatically entered in the drawing. Contact Chris at chrisj@rmad.org to sign up.

We’ll be ending the email-based silent auction of items that didn’t make it into our fundraiser, and we’re offering them to the highest bid; the bidding will close on December 23rd at 4 p.m. Thanks to a generous re-donation by the winner of the cruiser bike at our big event two weeks ago, the bike is once again up for auction. It is Item #15, and has a value well over $300. The starting bid is $175. (Email me if you need a picture). To make a bid or to ask any questions, email me at chrisj@rmad.org (or call the office – number below).


Item #1: Mountainsmith Camera backpack. This amazing camera pack has a retail value of $100 and is brand new. This item can be seen at: http://www.summithut.com/catalog/remap/product.asp/mfgID/216/pfid/19061/RC/vendor_Mountainsmith/. Current bid $50.
Item #2: Vegan dessert-of-the-month for one year. Choose from a selection of homemade vegan desserts by Ann Swissdorf, enough for two people. Value is at least $380. Current bid $125.
Items #3 and 4: A custom gift basket from www.GiftsfromColorado.com. Value of $60 each. Starting bid $20 each.
Item #5: Peregrine Falcon print, framed. Really nice art print of a falcon in mid-air. Current bid $15.
Item #6: Dan Piraro “Bizarro” original circus cartoon. Original mock-up with corrections and autograph. Current bid $60.
Item #7: Copywriting services for a 2-4 page brochure with graphic design (two-fold or tri-fold brochure: Professional design of one standard-sized bi-fold or tri-fold brochure (8.5" x 11" when fully opened), 2 design studies/ choices, Incorporation of your logo and company colors, Insertion of up to 3 royalty-free images/photos, Up to 4 revisions, design saved in PDF and TIF) – $800-1000 value. Starting bid $100.

Item #8: Massage by CMT Joysa Winters. Current bid $20.

Item #9: Flexi 16-foot retractable leash (the best!) and two dog washes from Colorado Canines. Current bid $25.

Item #10: Package including organic RMAD shirt with logo on front, “Tofu and Soyfoods Cookery” cookbook, “Meat Market” by Erik Marcus, signed, “The Witness Video” by Tribe of Heart, one box of Tulsi Tea (assorted organic teas). Current bid $28.

Item #11: Package including “Meat Market” by Erik Marcus, signed, “The Vegan Epicure” cookbook, “Nature’s Life Lessons” by Jim Carrier and Marc Bekoff, two boxes of Tulsi Tea, and an organic RMAD logo t-shirt. Starting bid $35.

Item #12: Package including a $25 gift certificate to Turley’s Restaurant in Boulder, “Tofu Cookery” cookbook, “The Witness” DVD, two boxes Tulsi Tea, one organic RMAD logo shirt. Current bid $36.

Item #13: Package including “The Veg-Feasting Cookbook,” “The Witness” video, “Strolling With Our Kin” by Marc Bekoff, signed, one box, Tulsi tea, one box Pixie Mate – Lemon, and an organic RMAD logo shirt. Starting bid $22.

Item #14: T Shirt Package Including three various eco-themed Jim Morris t-shirts and an organic RMAD “Cruelty-Free” t-shirt. Starting bid $25.

Item #16, an exquisite print of a market in Mali, Africa. Volunteer Coordinator Lindsey Sterling says she's been to that market. The adobe mosque pictured is said to be the oldest in the world (I think). Starting bid, $25.

To make a bid, email Chris at chrisj@rmad.org. If you have won an item, I’ll be sure to contact you when the bidding has ended.


Good friend Dave Hatch of Skyline Sanctuary is hosting a New Year’s Bash and you’re invited! See the Evite below for more info and to RSVP.




New Year's Bash & Housewarming
Hi everyone,Hope you can make it!Dave
View Evite Invitation
Happy Holidays.

- Chris and Donna


Rocky Mountain Animal Defense Calendar of Events:




Saturday, December 24: Fur Demo

When: Saturday, Dec. 17, 11:30 AM. 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.

Please help us spread the truth about fur, in Denver. Here's the scoop about fur:
http://www.furisdead.com/feat/ChineseFurFarms/
http://www.hsus.org/wildlife/issues_facing_wildlife/fur_and_trapping/
http://www.furisdead.com/getActive.asp
http://www.furisdead.com/photos-traps.asp
http://www.bancrueltraps.com/
http://www.furkills.org/
http://www.infurmation.com
Stock Show Protest: January 14, 2006

When: 11 a.m.
Where: National Western Complex

Please mark your calendars and plan to attend. Details to follow!
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/.

12.14.05

Friends:

If you were not able to make our hugely successful holiday party and would like to enter our monthly donor drawing for a weekend at Denver’s Oxford Hotel and dinner for two at Watercourse Foods, it’s not too late! We are accepting new monthly donors until December 31st, and for every $5 you pledge per month (minimum one-year commitment), you will receive an entry into the drawing. If you are already a donor and wish to increase your donation, you will likewise receive an entry for every five dollars you pledge. If you have signed up to be a monthly donor in the last month, you are automatically entered in the drawing. Contact Chris at chrisj@rmad.org to sign up.

RMAD is fighting prairie dog killers on various fronts in Boulder. Developers continue to bulldoze and poison animals within Boulder city and county, both legally and illegally. RMAD has fielded numerous phone calls from the public, including yesterday’s calls about the poisoning of animals at the Boulder/Longmont border on Foothills Highway. A rule of thumb for developers: if you’re going to drop a building in the center of a prairie, make sure you understand that the residents were there thousands of years before you.

RMAD is growing by leaps and bounds, and is quickly outgrowing its tiny office. We’re hoping to find a new, larger space in Boulder to accommodate our needs. Our budget is modest, in the $350-600 range, depending on amenities such as high-speed internet access, conference room, vegan-friendly kitchen. If you have any leads or can refer us to a realtor who wants to help Colorado’s leading advocates continue their work, please contact Chris at chrisj@rmad.org.

Just a reminder: if you ever miss a Weekly Announcement, you can check out our archive at www.rmadblog.blogspot.com. It is archived every week.

Finish your holiday shopping online and support RMAD at the same time!
We have a few items that didn’t make it into our silent auction, and we’re offering them to the highest bid; the bidding will close on December 23rd at 4 p.m.

Item #1: Mountainsmith Camera pack. It has a retail value of $100 and is brand new. This item can be seen at: http://www.summithut.com/catalog/remap/product.asp/mfgID/216/pfid/19061/RC/vendor_Mountainsmith/. Starting bid $35.
Item #2: Vegan dessert-of-the-month for one year. Choose from a selection of homemade vegan desserts by Ann Swissdorf, enough for two people. Starting bid $50.
Items #3 and 4: A custom gift basket from www.GiftsfromColorado.com. Value of $60 each. Starting bid $20 each.
Item #5: Peregrine Falcon print, framed. Really nice art print of a falcon in mid-air. Starting bid of $15.
Item #6: Dan Piraro “Bizarro” original circus cartoon. Original mock-up with corrections and autograph. Starting bid $50
Item #7: Copywriting services for a 2-4 page brochure (with graphic design) – $800-1000 value. Starting bid $100
Item #8: Massage by CMT Joysa Winters. Starting bid $20.

Item #9: Flexi 16-foot retractable leash (the best!) and two dog washes from Colorado Canines. Starting bid $15.

Item #10: Package including organic RMAD shirt with logo on front, “Tofu and Soyfoods Cookery” cookbook, “Meat Market” by Erik Marcus, signed, “The Witness Video” by Tribe of Heart, one box of Tulsi Tea (assorted organic teas). Starting bid $25.

Item #11: Package including “Meat Market” by Erik Marcus, signed, “The Vegan Epicure” cookbook, “Nature’s Life Lessons” by Jim Carrier and Marc Bekoff, two boxes of Tulsi Tea, and an organic RMAD logo t-shirt. Starting bid $25.

Item #12: Package including a $25 gift certificate to Turley’s Restaurant in Boulder, “Tofu Cookery” cookbook, “The Witness” DVD, two boxes Tulsi Tea, one organic RMAD logo shirt. Starting bid $32.

Item #13: Package including “The Veg-Feasting Cookbook,” “The Witness” video, “Strolling With Our Kin” by Marc Bekoff, signed, one box, Tulsi tea, one box Pixie Mate – Lemon, and an organic RMAD logo shirt. Starting bid $22.

Item #14: T Shirt Package Including three various Jim Morris t-shirts and an organic RMAD “Cruelty-Free” t-shirt. Starting bid $25.

To make a bid, email Chris at chrisj@rmad.org.


Lastly, good friend Dave Hatch of Skyline Sanctuary is hosting a New Year’s Bash and you’re invited! See the Evite below for more info and to RSVP.




New Year's Bash & Housewarming
Hi everyone,Hope you can make it!Dave
View Evite Invitation

- Chris and Donna


Rocky Mountain Animal Defense Calendar of Events:




Saturday, December 17: Fur Demo

When: Saturday, Dec. 17, 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM at Marks Lloyds Furs. Then 1:00-1:30 at Hamilton Furs, one block to the East. (NOTE TIME CHANGE – We will return to our usual time the following week). Posters and leaflets will be provided. Bring an umbrella just in case!

Marks Lloyds Furs is located at 263 Josephine between 2nd and 3rd in Cherry Creek.

Winter is fast approaching and sadly, fur sales will soon be on the rise for the season. Please help us spread the truth about fur, in Denver.
Here's the scoop about fur:
http://www.furisdead.com/feat/ChineseFurFarms/
http://www.hsus.org/wildlife/issues_facing_wildlife/fur_and_trapping/
http://www.furisdead.com/getActive.asp
http://www.furisdead.com/photos-traps.asp
http://www.bancrueltraps.com/
http://www.furkills.org/
http://www.infurmation.com
Stock Show Protest: January 14, 2006

When: 11 a.m.
Where: National Western Complex

Please mark your calendars and plan to attend. Details to follow!
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/.

Hey!

We’re getting ready for tonight’s big event so we’re going to keep this brief. While the air is quite frigid, the roads are clear. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. for music, auctions, vegan food, and more. We’ll see you all there!

- Chris

TONIGHT!!!! RMAD/Southern Plains Land Trust Holiday Extravaganza

When: 6:30 p.m.
Where: The Oxford Hotel, Lower Downtown Denver

Please click on the link below (“View Evite Invitation”) to RSVP for the party. We need to have an accurate head count to accommodate for food and space, so please RSVP today. Please email DonnaM@rmad.org with any questions or to help out.


Holiday Extravaganza Fundraiser
Please join RMAD and SPLT for our Holiday Fundraiser Extravaganza!
View Evite Invitation



Rocky Mountain Animal Defense Calendar of Events:


Saturday, December 10: 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.

Winter is fast approaching and sadly, fur sales will soon be on the rise for the season. Please help us spread the truth about fur, in Denver.
Here's the scoop about fur:
http://www.furisdead.com/feat/ChineseFurFarms/
http://www.hsus.org/wildlife/issues_facing_wildlife/fur_and_trapping/
http://www.furisdead.com/getActive.asp
http://www.furisdead.com/photos-traps.asp
http://www.bancrueltraps.com/
http://www.furkills.org/
http://www.infurmation.com
Stock Show Protest: January 14, 2006

When: 11 a.m.
Where: National Western Complex

Details to follow!
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/.

11.30.05

A big thank you to everyone who joined us for Fur Free Friday. In addition to being featured on two television stations and in print, we collected a pile of fur coats for HSUS’ Coats for Cubs program, which gives fur to rehabilitated wildlife. We had a great turnout, the demonstration was peaceful, and we once again spread the message of cruelty-free shopping. Thanks to Donnie and other helpers who sported the body screen televisions and to Matt and Mark for being Giselle, the giant fox. Double thanks to those who ventured out again the following morning and triple thanks to Ann for helping organize this and many other events.


Only one week until our big holiday extravaganza with Southern Plains Land Trust! If you have not RSVP’d and plan on attending, please see the Evite below (simply follow www.evite.com/chrisj@rmad.org/rmadspltparty to the invitation, enter the basic information, and click on “Respond”) or call us at the office (303-449-4422) or email us (chrisj@rmad.org or donnam@rmad.org). Again, we have heaps of great stuff to auction: art, a bike, an iPod, services, goods, and more. It’s at the beautiful Oxford Hotel in Lodo and is going to be really groovy.

If you have any easels we can borrow for the fundraiser please let us know! We need them to display art and other things. Email me (chrisj@rmad.org) if you can help. Please let me know if you are coming from the Boulder area and can assist with carpooling.

RMAD is taking the lead role in investigating an alleged illegal bulldozing of prairie dogs in Boulder. This situation, along with Boulder’s Urban Wildlife Management Plan, was featured not only on the front page of yesterday’s Daily Camera but as the subject of Clay Evans’ editorial today. Both are included below the Calendar. Therefore, This Week’s Action Alert is a letter to the editor, especially if you live in the Boulder area. Please direct it to openforum@dailycamera.com and the purpose is simply speak up for prairie dogs!

The blanket drive will soon be coming to a close. Word is that the animals are much in need of blankets at the shelters and sanctuaries. You can still drop off blankets at Denver’s Ramada Inn (1150 E Colfax Ave.) or in Boulder at Three Little Figs (2793 Iris Ave). Steve and Tami will be happy to drop by if and pick up blankets if you have more than a couple. They can be reached at 303 661 3954 or TJC1BC@aol.com to arrange for a pick-up in the Denver/Boulder metro area.

As you’re doing your holiday shopping, don’t forget about Three Little Figs, the Denver/Boulder area’s only vegan boutique. The assortment of food is amazing

- Chris & Donna



Rocky Mountain Animal Defense Calendar of Events:


Saturday, December 3: 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.

Please help us spread the truth about fur, in Denver.
Here's the scoop about fur:
http://www.furisdead.com/feat/ChineseFurFarms/
http://www.hsus.org/wildlife/issues_facing_wildlife/fur_and_trapping/
http://www.furisdead.com/getActive.asp
http://www.furisdead.com/photos-traps.asp
http://www.bancrueltraps.com/
http://www.furkills.org/
http://www.infurmation.com

Wednesday, December 7: RMAD/Southern Plains Land Trust Holiday Extravaganza

When: 6:30 p.m.
Where: The Oxford Hotel, Lower Downtown Denver

Please click on the link below (“View Evite Invitation”) to RSVP for the party. We need to have an accurate head count to accommodate for food and space, so please RSVP today. Please email DonnaM@rmad.org with any questions or to help out.


Holiday Extravaganza Fundraiser
Please join RMAD and SPLT for our Holiday Fundraiser Extravaganza!
View Evite Invitation

Stock Show Protest: January 14, 2006

When: 11 a.m.
Where: National Western Complex

Details to follow!

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/.


Let the sun shine
Prairie-dog ordinance needs a little retooling
November 30, 2005
With few exceptions, government should operate in sunshine. That's why we think the city of Boulder's new prairie-dog protection ordinance needs to be retooled. First, some history:
In 2000, the City Council adopted an ordinance to prohibit the poisoning of prairie dogs. In July 2001, the law was strengthened to prohibit destruction of active prairie-dog burrows. Those policies reflected the community's desire to protect a keystone species that has been driven from 98 percent of its historic range. But the policies also proved unsustainable. Some of the city's open-space lands became so overcrowded and damaged that they no longer provide good habitat for any local fauna.
Then in 2003, the Colorado Department of Agriculture notified the city that its laws banning the poisoning of prairie dogs (and birds) were pre-empted by state law.
Faced with twin challenges, the city in January enacted a new ordinance, which allowed private land owners to apply for a permit to use lethal control. The law provides a five-month period during which applicants are required to explore non-lethal options, including seeking relocation sites and a 60-day public-comment period.
If, after five months, the city determines that relocation sites do not exist, it may issue a permit. If relocation sites are found, it may also delay a permit for another 12 months to allow time to move prairie dogs.
This week, in the first test of the law, Rocky Mountain Animal Defense charged a north Boulder home builder with destroying prairie dogs and burrows without a permit (the city won't identify the land owners behind two pending applications). Police are investigating the allegations.
Whatever the outcome of the case, it has revealed some glitches in the city's new ordinance.
The public has access to limited information about applications: the number of prairie dogs, the size of the land and non-lethal alternatives explored by land owners. The city argues that the only real question is whether there are relocation sites, and that further information — location of the land, for example — is not only not necessary, but could cause headaches for property owners who are simply following the law.
The city also argues that identifying land could inspire some owners to simply "shoot, shovel and shut up." But that's easier said than done, as this week's allegation demonstrates. It's also breaking the law.
We think the city is overstepping its bounds in drawing a veil of secrecy around permit applications. Citizens should be able to view colonies in question, and be able to monitor activities on land for which lethal permits have been applied.
The city's process also allows land owners to appeal a permit denial, but does not give the same right to opponents if a permit is granted. The city hoped to avoid cynical attempts to delay development with endless appeals, and that's an appropriate goal.
But giving opponents a right to appeal within the existing timetable does not equal endless appeals, and it would defuse complaints that the law is tilted in favor of killing prairie dogs.
Such changes would reduce perceptions that the law enables the city to make decisions on prairie dogs without full public scrutiny. Yes, that raises the possibility that prairie-dog advocates might protest a site. But we call that freedom of speech.
Relocating every individual prairie dog to fragile open-space lands was never a sustainable approach, and it's neither fair nor legal to endlessly delay development of private land. The city's new approach to prairie-dog management is basically sound, but it can, and should, be improved.
-end-
Case of the bulldozed burrows
Animal rights group alleges prairie dog homes destroyed
By Ryan Morgan, Camera Staff WriterNovember 29, 2005
Spurred by complaints from an animal-rights group, Boulder police are investigating whether a homebuilder in northwest Boulder used earth-moving equipment to destroy prairie dog burrows.
If the allegations are true, they would mark the first violation of a new wildlife-protection ordinance the city passed in January, officials said.
A member of Rocky Mountain Animal Defense called police out to a construction project near Dakota Ridge on Friday where employees working for Markel Homes had used earth-moving equipment to grade land to make way for a new housing development.
Police spokeswoman Julie Brooks said the officers who responded to the call saw prairie dog burrows next to the area that had been graded, and said evidence of "fresh digging and fresh scat" indicated those burrows are occupied.
But, she said, officers did not see any prairie dogs in the area that been graded.
Police are consulting with Boulder's Parks and Recreation Department, whose employees have more experience with prairie dog issues. They're also consulting with the planning officials who oversee the permit process that owners are required to go through before removing prairie dogs from their land, Brooks said.
"It's not something we get as a police department very often," she said.
Boulder passed a new version of its wildlife-protection ordinance in January. It requires that property owners who want to kill prairie dogs try to find other ways of dealing with the animals - through relocation, for example - first.
Citywide, there are two lethal-control permits pending, but neither has been approved, said Ruth McHeyser, a city planning official. That means if prairie dog burrows were destroyed and prairie dogs killed, it would be in violation of the ordinance.
Markel Homes did not return a call seeking comment Monday.
It's unclear whether Markel is the landowner that has applied for one or both of the permits. The city's ordinance only allows city staff members to release three pieces of information to the public about those who apply for permits: the number of prairie dogs affected, the total acreage involved and the non-lethal alternatives the landowner has tried.
Dave Crawford, a member of Rocky Mountain Animal Defense, said his group has asked for the names of those requesting permits under Colorado's Open Records Act.
The city has refused to release that information, arguing that landowners applied for their permits with the understanding that their identities wouldn't be released. The city cites a "public interest" exception to the open-records law.
"Moreover, the public interest favors non-disclosure," Jerry Gordon, Boulder's deputy city attorney, wrote in the city's response. "An important policy served by non-disclosure is the city's strong desire to encourage property owners to participate in the city's lethal control permitting system. The city wants to avoid situations in which property owners are tempted to utilize self-help by killing animals without going through the permitting process."
Crawford said his group is reviewing the response before deciding whether to take the issue to court.
Contact Camera Staff Writer Ryan Morgan at (303) 473-1333 or morganr@dailycamera.com.