5.18.07

Hello!

As many of you know, RMAD was formed in 1994 after exposing conditions inside a local factory egg farm with videotape shot by RMAD co-founder David Crawford. The tape was edited into a groundbreaking 12-minute film that documents the factory's violations of Colorado state anti-cruelty laws and details the inherent cruelty of intensive egg production. It was the first nationally distributed expose of egg factories, and has aired on cable stations across the United States.

You can view the video here (in two parts). And, if you missed it, the Vox Feminista prairie dog video can be seen here.

RMAD recently issued an action alert regarding Greenwood Village’s decision to trap coyotes using padded leghold traps and then kill them afterward. RMAD is working with a number of organizations to stop this cruel and barbaric form of “wildlife management,” but in the meantime, please take action!

Contact the City of Greenwood Village and politely tell them to stop the assault on Colorado’s native wildlife. Tell them that when the citizens of Colorado passed Amendment 14 in 1996, this was exactly the type of situation they were voting to end.

Please remember that you’re an ambassador to the animals, so be friendly and open to a continuing dialogue. More info can be found on RMAD’s Alerts page, and feel free to pass this information on.

In addition to dozens of calls about the coyote situation, the RMAD staff has been fielding a large number of requests for assistance with issues ranging from prairie dogs to companion animals to vegetarianism and more.

Please be vigilant of wildlife on and around roads. The offspring of prairie dogs, rabbits, geese and many other species are up and about, so please slow down and be careful.

We’ll be at the Boulder Creek Festival over Memorial Day weekend so be sure to stop by our booth and say hello!

5.4.07

Hello, Friends.

Recent Media: Boulder’s Women’s Magazine did a full-page feature on RMAD, covering numerous aspects of the organization while focusing heavily on the involvement of recent RMAD additions Lynne Sprague and Kris Candour. Pick up a copy and let us know what you think! Colorado Hometown News quoted Dave Crawford about the prairie dog killings at 95^th and Arapahoe; RMAD joined local citizens in calling for Lafayette to stop the killing of prairie dogs within town limits. The Boulder Daily Camera also provided RMAD’s perspective in an article about the probable killing of prairie dogs by Boulder city staff during road work at the Foothills/Arapahoe intersection.

Summer Support Needed for Field Study: RMAD has received a grant to study Boulder open space lands to determine their availability and suitability for prairie dog relocation release sites. We keep being told “there’s no room” but we are skeptical; this is our chance to find out for ourselves. Three or four students will be in town for two weeks this summer, probably in June. We need to provide them with lodging and a vehicle. If you have any ideas, suggestions or offers, please let us know. Thanks!

Volunteer Pippi Howard (who also maintains RMAD’s fantastic MySpace page) has organized a Rocky Mountain Animal Defense work party this weekend at Peaceful Prairie Sanctuary. The volunteer slots are already full, but stay tuned for more opportunities in the future.

Calling all volunteers! Please join us Wednesday, May 16, from 10am to 8pm for an RMAD mailing party. Come whenever you're free and stay as long as you'd like. Our mailing parties are fun, and in addition to offering a valuable service to RMAD, you'll have the opportunity to meet other advocates and hang out with the coolest AR staff in the West. Food and drinks will be provided. For more information, please contact Kris Candour or call the RMAD office 303-449-4422.

If you can’t make the mailing party but would like to get involved, please see our Volunteer Opportunities below. Lots going on, and lots of chances to help.

If you missed Marc Bekoff’s Boulder event, don’t fret – he will be speaking about his new book, The Emotional Lives of Animals, at the Tattered Cover in LoDo (Denver) on Saturday, May 12 at 2 p.m. More info on this book and Marc can be found here. This will be a great event! Please attend if you can.