URGENT: Frederick, Colorado, Mandates Eradication of Prairie Dogs

PETA

BACKGROUND | SOURCE: PETA

The city of Frederick, Colorado, passed an alarming ordinance requiring that private property owners remove prairie dogs from their land. This ordinance takes effect on March 5, and property owners who fail to comply within 30 days of an official notice could face $1,000 fines! Under the threat of short deadlines and stiff fines, some fearful property owners will no doubt resort to cruel measures in a desperate attempt to obey the law. Even worse, the city reportedly intends to spearhead the eradication effort by poisoning two large prairie dog colonies this week. Your voice is urgently needed today!

Please politely urge Frederick officials to take immediate steps to overturn this cruel ordinance. Remind them that effective, long-term wildlife control programs focus on habitat modification, exclusion, and repellents.

And please forward this message widely!


WHOM TO CONTACT

Email block

edoering@frederickco.gov , boardoftrustees@frederickco.gov , gbarbour@frederickco.gov

Individual

The Honorable Eric Doering
Mayor of Frederick
edoering@frederickco.gov

Board of Trustees
City of Frederick
boardoftrustees@frederickco.gov

Gary Barbour
Chief of Police
City of Frederick
gbarbour@frederickco.gov


SAMPLE LETTER

Dear Honorable Doering, Chief Barbour, and Board of Trustees:

Frederick, Colorado, is requiring the eradication of prairie dog colonies by property owners, and I am respectfully requesting that non-lethal options be mandated.  Although these culls are inherently cruel based on the premise alone, it is important to recognize they are based on erroneous information.

Please allow me to illustrate a few of these concerns. First, ecologically, populations will fluctuate according to conditions and naturally-occurring food sources; it is the interference of humans that causes imbalance. To blame and slaughter the prairie dogs for human encroachment is both irresponsible and unjustified.

Second, killing colonies artificially increases food supplies to the remaining animals, the consequence of which is increased reproduction and an ensuing greater population. In fact, studies have demonstrated that the continual cycle of seasonal culls is responsible for a rebound, or larger populations, in subsequent years.

Third, this type of mass killing using such a brutal type of slaughter in such a central and visible location would certainly adversely affect both visitation and tourism.  I would be unwilling to consider it, or nearby, as a potential vacation destination if this prairie dog cull continues.

Please instead examine alternative, non-lethal, effective, long-term wildlife control programs that focus on habitat modification, exclusion, and repellents, which, according to established protocols when using these methods, have all proven successful in curtailing populations.

I know your time is limited and I want to thank you each for your attention to this urgent matter.

NAME

ladies and gentlemen
please think it through
what did prairie dogs
every do to you
their colonies deserve to live
this is their world, too!!!

Karen Lyons Kalmenson