How You Can Help

You can help the plight of prairie dogs by taking action on one or more of the following suggestions. There are many ways to make a difference:

1. Learn about the issues and educate others.
2. Contact policy-makers and voice your opinion.
3. Volunteer and take action when a colony is threatened.
4. Support organizations helping the prairie dogs.

1. Learn about the issues and educate others.

• View or download the Prairie Dog Action Packet, published by RMAD. This informative PDF doc lists many ways to get involved. To learn more about PDF docs, click here.

• Tell other people about the issues–it's a powerful way to spread awareness! Tell your family, friends, and co-workers about this Web site and encourage them to learn more about what's happening in their own backyard. Take the opportunity to set the record straight whenever you hear someone repeating a myth about prairie dogs.

• Respond to news events or relevant issues that might affect prairie dogs. Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper or alert local media about a situation involving or impacting prairie dogs in your area. When you hear members of the media perpetuating myths about prairie dogs, set the record straight. We'd appreciate receiving a copy of any letters or e-mails that you send and/or any news items you find; send to prairiehotline@rmad.org.

• Learn about prairie dog issues at the local, state (Colorado), and federal level. Public agencies at all levels need to implement recovery plans that include protection and conservation of prairie dogs and their habitat. We'd appreciate receiving a copy of any letters or e-mails that you send and any responses that you get; send to prairiehotline@rmad.org.

• Go vegetarian! Learn how your food choices can directly affect prairie dogs and other wildlife.

2. Contact policy-makers and voice your opinion.

• Contact key government officials and agencies at the local, state (Colorado), and federal levels.

3. Volunteer and take action when a colony is threatened.

• Respond when you hear of a prairie dog colony that has been or is about to be destroyed. Call RMAD at (303) 449-4422, or send an e-mail immediately if you know of an imperiled prairie dog colony. If you can find out who's responsible (for example, there's a sign on the land stating the developer's name and phone number), supply RMAD with this information.

• Volunteer to help with prairie dog relocation. There are organizations that need people to help with the caring and feeding of prairie dogs waiting to be relocated and/or with the trapping and relocation of prairie dog colonies slated for destruction. Whatever time you have available is helpful! For more information, please send an e-mail to davec@rmad.org.

4. Support organizations helping the prairie dogs.

• Support land trusts and conservation organizations focusing on land acquisition for prairie dogs and associated species. The Southern Plains Land Trust of southeastern Colorado is a good example of this type of organization. Its mission is to create a shortgrass prairie reserve network that enables native plant and animal communities to once again thrive, with minimal human intervention, in the state of Colorado. This land trust prioritizes the back-tailed prairie dog as a focal species, both for its inherent value and for the role it plays as a keystone species. The Southern Plains Land Trust does not allow cattle grazing, hunting, trapping, poisoning, or any other human threats to wildlife on its land.

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