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Archives
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Following are hyperlinks to articles that appeared on the News Page, in the Media, or in the Newsletters.
- PDP operations: The following links will give you the insight into what PDP does and how they do it.
- Cage Caps: Cage caps are used to hold the prairie dogs in their temporary quarters during the relocation period. To see how they are constructed, click on Cage Caps.
- Site preparation covers all aspects of creating an artificial environment for the prairie dogs. To read about it, click on Site Preparation.
- Artificial burrows provide a temporary home for the prairie dogs during the relocation process. To read about their construction click on Nesting Box.
- PDP catches prairie dogs in two ways, by trapping and by flushing. To read about the process click on Trapping, and Flushing.
- Once the prairie dogs have been captured, we bring them to the staging facility. To read what goes on there, click on Staging.
- Once the prairie dogs have been monitored for a week or so at the staging facility and deemed to be suitable for release, they are relocated. To read about the process click on Relocation.
- Prairie Dog Pals has three programs, Rescue, Stewardship, and Education. The above links cover the rescue aspects of our operations. To read about stewardship and education, click on Stewardship, and Education.
- While we are Prairie Dog Pals we get a lot of calls about pocket gophers. To that end we have prepared a protocol for people to reference if they find that gophers have taken up residence in their yards: Pocket Gopher Protocol
- The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is removing its regulation that established restrictions on the capture, transport, sale, barter, exchange, distribution, and release of African rodents, prairie dogs, and certain other animals. We are removing the restrictions because we believe they are no longer needed to prevent the further introduction, transmission, or spread of monkeypox, a communicable and potentially fatal disease, in the
United States. Federal Register
- Badgers periodically visit the West Mesa (and in-town sites as well). Paul Polechla prepared a prospectus on badgers which you can read by clicking on the following link: Badger Prospectus
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Following is a collection of articles about prairie dogs in general and Gunnisons in particular. Print them out as handouts for outreach or just read them and learn!
- Ever wonder how prairie dogs are classified or just what a "Cynomys" really is? Click the link below to see their complete identification. Prairie Dog Classification
- Quick Facts is a two page (print back to front) document that provides a number of facts about Gunnison prairie dogs.
- Talking Points is another document that provides a number of talking points about prairie dogs.
- About Prairie Dogs is a short article written by Ana Davidson about prairie dogs.
- Prairie Dog Facts is another document providing information about prairie dogs. This one comes with a picture and is useful for outreach events.
- Want to help the prairie dogs at sites that need supplemental feeding? Read Feeding Tips to learn what's good and bad for prairie dogs.
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- Plague Facts is a 2 page document (print back to front for a single page) that explains why humans cannot get plague from prairie dogs. Use the talking points to convince others that prairie dogs do not carry plague, or just use the the document as a handout.
- What is Tularemia? Click the link to find out!
- Prairie Dogs cannot contract or transmit Hantavirus. To learn more click on the following link: Hantavirus
- Sadly, some misguided, misinformed, and malignant individual has been posting signs trying to connect prairie dogs and monkey pox. Monkey pox, as it is aptly named, comes from African monkeys. As prairie dogs and monkeys do not inhabit the same habitat, it is unlikely that a wild prairie dog could ever contract the disease under normal circumstances. Monkey pox reached the United States in 2003, from infected Gambian rats being imported by a less than diligent exotic pet sales house. The rats infected adjacent, captive prairie dogs, and the disease was transmitted to humans. The USDA stepped in and stopped the pet trade in prairie dogs, a blessing for the prairie dogs, as no longer could unscrupulous people take young from their families for sale. Click on the link to read her "warning": Monkeygirl
- Zoonotic Diseases: The following articles discuss zoonotic diseases. While the articles are geared towards diseases that might affect a house pet, the information is relevant to most animals. Zoonotic 1 Zoonotic 2
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Poisoning is a cruel way to dispose of unwanted animals. It usually is a protracted death during which the animal dies in agony. The "poison of choice" for prairie dogs is aluminum phosphide pellets. The pellets are placed in the burrows which are then stuffed with newspaper. The pellets react with the moisture in the ground and produces phosphine gas. The gas attacks every part of the prairie dog and they bleed internally and externally, dying painfully over a several day period.
- Don't be Fooled: Read "Don't be Fooled" by clicking on the link. It is a series of excerpts about the cruelty and uselessness of poisoning.
- Click on the link below to read a recent letter to the editor from Dick Fagerlund, aka the Bugman! There is more information about poisoning in "Don't be Fooled". Bugman on Poisoning
- Not all interventions are successful. Despite efforts to negotiate an arrangement a private landowner poisoned the prairie dogs and a number of non targeted species on his lot, and put the public and companion animals at risk! Menaul Poisoning
- Candelaria Poisoning
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- The Trifold handout provides information about prairie dogs and Prairie Dog Pals. There are two pages that can be printed front to back and then folded. There is also an insert.
Trifold
Insert
- PDP 1/4 Page Handout, General is a one page document, with 4 post card sized texts, giving general information about PrairieDog Pals. It should be printed back to front with oneof the other 1/4 Handouts (either TAX or Mission Statement.
- PDP Mission Statement is a full sheet listing of our goals, it can be printed back to front with on of the other full page items.
- PDP 1/4 Page Handout, Mission is a one page document, with 4 post card sized texts, providing the mission statement for Prairie Dog Pals. It should be printed back to front with one of the other 1/4 Handouts (either TAX or General).
- PDP 1/4 Page Handout, Tax is a one page document, with 4 post card sized texts, concerning the 501(c)3 status of the organization and providing the IRS number. It should be printed back to front with one of the other 1/4 Handouts (either General or Mission Statement).
- Tell Me More is a one page document, with 4 post card sized texts, to be filled out by interested individuals and prospective members.
- Habitat Improvement is a one page document discussing how you can improve the natural vegetation at prairie dog colonies.
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- Spring 09 Work Report: The report details plans for the city prairie dogs. Work Report
- Veterinary Care: It is difficult to find veterinarians who provice care for prairie dogs and other exotics. Prairie Dog Pals has been fortunate to work with Dr. Daniel Levenson who is both capable and compassionate and often treats our wards at a discounted cost. Following are the business cards for Veterinarians who provide compassionate care for exotics: Levenson, Russman. If you fine other Veterinarians who treat exotics, please let us know!
- Trapping Check List provides an overview of trapping and the steps that need to be followed to successfully capture prairie dogs.
- Flushing/Trapping Checklist gives you a spread sheet of what needs to be done, a column for who is responsible, and a space to check off that the work was done. Very handy.
- Rental Water Tanker provide a blow by blow, no holds barred, description of renting a water tanker, the pitfalls, the excitement, the rush and the downfalls. Read this before renting a water tanker.
- PDP Water Tanker provides you with the basics of using Cynomys and the PDP water tanker! Read carefully before using as there will be a test.
- Relocation is a summary of the methods employed in capturing and relocating prairie dogs. It is a single page document and can be printed back to front with one of the other full page items
- Waiver is a document to be signed by all volunteers before working on any Prairie Dog Pals' projects.
- Prairie Dog Pals recently submitted a proposal to the city for the rescue and relocation of prairie dogs during 2008. The RFP (Request for Proposals) contained some interesting language that gave us cause to review and update some of our procedures. The RFP required that we determine the necessary vaccinations for handling prairie dogs. While we were not aware of any requirements we researched CDC files and talked with our local health officials. There are no requirements, refer to the letter from the city Vaccination Requirements. Based on the letter and our review of CDC recommendations for handling animals during rescue operations, we've developed our own protocol to protect our volunteers: Caregiver Protocols
- Prairie Dog Pals uses two synthetic products in its operations. Deltamethrin is used to dust the burrows twice a year to reduce the incidence of fleas. Permethrin is used to dust the prairie dogs after capture and before relocation the their new habitat. Both measures are prophylactic and are intendedto eliminate fleas. The MSDS (Manufacturer's Safety Data Sheet) for deltamethrin follows: Deltamethrin The MSDS for Permethrin is not readily available as the product is a common ingredient in a wide range of insecticides. The precautions, however, are similar to Deltamethrin
- Protocols:is a listing of our standard practices for the capture, staging, relocation and release of prairie dogs.
- The State of the West Mesa report provides an overview and assessment of how things are on the mesa and with the prairie dogs. This year we found a new colony which was quite exciting. The report has been broken into four files, all of which are quite large. The last installment has been held back pending some additional reporting. WM 2009 part 1, WM 2009 part 2, WM 2009 part 3
- Attached is a copy for our 2009 letter of compliance as issued by the office of the Attorney General of New Mexico for 2009/2010. AG 2009
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- PD Cocktail a potent potable to appease even the thirstiest prairie dog.....
- Check out "Shop for Prairie Dogs" and our on line store at Cafe Press to find some fun prairie dog merchandise!
- Prairie dogs eat forbs and grasses. Ok so what's a forb? It is a flowering plant. To learn more about forbs and grasses click on the following links: Prairie Forbs and Native Grasses
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