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Crisis
Center > Action Alert: >
2009
C.A.S.H. ACTION
ALERT
PLEASE CROSS POST
Committee To Abolish Sport Hunting
PO BOX 13815, LAS CRUCES, NM 88013-3815
(575) 640-7372
CASH@AbolishSportHunting.com
www.AbolishSportHunting.com
7/11/09
~~ ACTION ALERT ~~
Please help the prairie dogs of Santa Fe.
Santa Fe, New Mexico is home to a small population of Gunnison’s prairie
dogs, a species listed on the International Conservation Union’s red list of
threatened species. Because several animals have been found in Santa Fe
carrying plague, the city has removed protection from the animals and is
allowing them to be poisoned in an effort to stop the spread of plague.
Experts with the Centers for Disease Control, The World Health
Organization, U.S. Fish & Wildlife, the New Mexico Department of Health, the
Colorado Department of Health, and other city and state agencies in
Colorado, Arizona and South Dakota have concluded that the best way to halt
the spread of plague is to address the vector species for the disease, which
in this case is the flea. These experts also advise against removing or
eradicating the host species for fleas, since doing so will cause fleas to
seek other hosts, most likely domestic dogs and cats. If fleas are drawn to
domestic animals rather than wildlife, the chance of the human population
being infected by plague increases substantially.
***For more information please contact Denise Saccone of the Prairie Dog
Advocacy Watch Group (505) 989-1233 or deniseone@netzero.net. Ms. Saccone is
the organizer of the effort to protect Santa Fe’s prairie dogs. ***
WHAT YOU CAN DO
Please contact the mayor of Santa Fe, the city councilors, and the city
manager and request that they reinstate protection for the city’s population
of Gunnison’s prairie dogs and concentrate their efforts on controlling
fleas through systematic dusting and public education instead of killing
animals who are the victims and not the cause of this disease outbreak.
Contact:
David Coss, Mayor
City of Santa Fe
200 Lincoln Ave.
Santa Fe, NM 87504
Also, please contact:
Galen M. Buller, City Manager
City of Santa Fe
200 Lincoln Ave.
PO Box 909
Santa Fe, NM 87504
And city councilors Patti Bushee, Chris Calvert, Miguel Chavez,
Carmichael Dominguez, Matthew E. Ortiz, Rosemary Romero, Ronald S. Trujillo,
and Rebecca Wurzburger at the same address: City of Santa Fe, 200 Lincoln
Ave., PO Box 909, Santa Fe, NM 87504.
SAMPLE LETTER
Dear Mayor Coss:
As you are aware, several animals within the Santa Fe city limits have
tested positive for plague. While this is indeed cause for concern, removing
protections from Gunnison’s prairie dogs so they can be poisoned will not
only impact the survival of this threatened species, but will likely further
endanger the human population of the city.
Experts from The Centers for Disease Control (CDC), The World Health
Organization, and state and local health and wildlife agencies concur that
controlling fleas and not killing host animals is the best way to address
the presence of plague. Flea control measures, including controlled dusting
and public use of flea control products for domestic dogs and cats should
play a significant role in minimizing any risk posed to the public by
plague-carrying fleas.
According to the South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks Department, “killing
the prairie dogs, predators, and other wildlife species found in and around
a plague-infected colony (is) impractical, costly, ineffective, and
potentially dangerous in terms of spreading plague more widely” (South
Dakota’s Prairie Dog Management Planning, South Dakota Department of Game,
Fish and Parks, Progress Report 3, February 2003, p.3.).
Mr. Mayor, please reinstate protections for Gunnison’s prairie dogs
within Santa Fe’s city limits and instead of killing them focus the city’s
attention and resources on responsible flea control measures. Your response
to my concerns will be greatly appreciated.
Sincerely, .
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