According to Rebecca Fischer of Prairie Dog Rescue of New England, prairie dogs and people don't mix. She says most prairie dogs kept as pets don't remain with their original "owner"; they are given away, killed, or if they're lucky, turned over to a prairie dog rescue. Fischer says most prairie dogs bite, which leads to problems with their "owners."

Most prairie dog "pets" are pulled from their homes and separated from their families in the wild before being forced into artificial environments in human homes. Methods of "collection" include trapping, vacuuming, and flushing. All are traumatic.

Both the ensuing transportation (some are sent as far as Japan) and housing in pet stores or warehouses put them at great risk for injuries, diseases, and death.

In addition, prairie dogs are needed on the prairie now. There is now no refuting that black-tailed prairie dogs are in danger of being pushed to extinction in the near future. That said, prairie dogs should not be removed from the prairie to supply the pet trade. They should be protected in their native habitat to ensure their long-term survival as a species.

Species associated with prairie dogs also depend on prairie dogs on the prairie, not in pet shops. Many other wildlife species, plants, and invertebrates are associated with prairie dogs or the habitat they create. In particular, five wildlife species–the black-footed ferret, swift fox, ferruginous hawk, burrowing owl, and mountain plover–are dependent on prairie dogs and their towns and have all experienced extensive declines due to the decrease in black-tailed prairie dog populations and acreage. The black-footed ferret, for example, is one of the rarest animals in the world. It has reached this precarious state because of the war against the prairie dog. The ferret depends on the prairie dog for its diet and shelter needs (ferrets cannot survive outside of prairie dog towns).

Prairie dogs are social animals with a sophisticated social network. They live in coteries, in which one adult male, several females, and their young comprise a family unit. A multitude of coteries makes up a colony, which is fiercely defended against trespassers from other colonies. Within these prairie dog communities exists one of the most sophisticated communication systems in the non-human world. Prairie dog "barking" distinguishes to other prairie dogs different types of predators--for example, a hawk versus a coyote versus a human. Researchers decoding prairie dog language now believe these little mammals can distinguish between a human wearing a red shirt versus a yellow shirt. In addition, prairie dogs distinguish between humans exhibiting threatening and non-threatening behaviors. Even more surprising, prairie dogs can remember a human that exhibited threatening behavior a month previously, even if they currently exhibit non-threatening behavior. When one recognizes how complicated and intricate prairie dogs' social and communicative interactions are, it becomes clear these are fundamentally social animals who should not be held in captivity.

Wild animals should not be domesticated. We believe in keeping wildlife wild, for its own sake and for ours. We do not believe humans should domesticate animals for food, clothing, experimentation, or entertainment. Domesticating wild animals for the pleasure of their company is no different. Wild animals should be free to live their lives in a natural way, which benefits other individual wild animals and the ecosystems in which they all play a part.

Whenever possible, we believe that prairie dogs should be rehabilitated and released to the wild, in a protected area. When prairie dogs cannot be released (due to physical ailments or other outstanding circumstances), their needs should be provided for. Humans holding prairie dogs in captivity should take all steps possible to make sure the nature of these animals is accommodated (e.g., provide space and materials for burrowing).

For more information on caring for prairie dogs in a domestic environment, contact Rebecca Fischer at Yellerdog@comcast.net.

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