Care2 member? Log in

Stop Prairie Dog Poisoning

Target: U.S. Forest Service
Sponsored by: Care2.com

The Bush administration is planning a massive poisoning operation that would target prairie dogs across three National Grasslands in South Dakota and Nebraska.

Prairie dogs are routinely poisoned, shot and bulldozed on both private and public lands, often at taxpayer expense. Adding exotic disease to the widespread colony destruction, it is no wonder the population of this vital species is now at one or two percent of its historic level on these grasslands.

This poisoning plan not only threatens a diminished prairie dog population; it puts other wildlife at risk. Species such as hawks, eagles, foxes, coyotes and black-footed ferrets rely on prairie dog colonies for food, shelter and habitat for survival.

Recent poisoning programs have already destroyed thousands of acres of prime wildlife habitat. This new plan will bring needless destruction to our grasslands and wildlife. We only have a few precious weeks to appeal this latest plan to mass-poison prairie dogs -- please sign our petition today!

deadline: 9-25-2008
goal: 15,000

15,607
signatures!

Sign Petition see who signed this

50 log in or sign up to start earning Butterfly Credits today!

learn more »

log in
This petition has been closed. see more petitions

Dear U.S. Forest Service,

I am writing to oppose the plan to allow poisoning of prairie dogs in the vast majority of the Buffalo Gap, Fort Pierre, and Oglala National Grasslands in South Dakota and Nebraska.

This massive poisoning plan will operate at the expense of prairie dogs and other wildlife. Prairie dog populations have been reduced by 95 percent over the past 150 years, and colonies continue to be wiped out by disease and poisoning programs. Poisoning the already diminished prairie dog population in this area is senseless and excessive.

Other species that depend on prairie dogs for food, burrows, and additional benefits will find it harder to survive. Specifically, rare species such as the swift fox, burrowing owl, and ferruginous hawk that depend on the affected prairie dogs will not be able to sustain healthy population levels if the plan goes forward.

view more

Sincerely,
[Your name here]

We signed the “Stop Prairie Dog Poisoning” petition!

# 15,626:

11:09 pm PDT, Sep 25, Maya Puerta, France

# 15,625:

9:19 pm PDT, Sep 25, Naomi Zaslow, Florida

# 15,624:

7:30 pm PDT, Sep 25, Carol Storckman, California

# 15,623:

5:38 pm PDT, Sep 25, Fernando Del bosque, Florida

# 15,622:

5:38 pm PDT, Sep 25, Amber Peiffer, Tennessee

# 15,621:

5:07 pm PDT, Sep 25, Tomma Hargraves, North Carolina

# 15,620:

4:25 pm PDT, Sep 25, Burl Stone, Georgia
Why kill the Prairie Dogs, there most other answers to the problems then killing them.

# 15,619:

4:23 pm PDT, Sep 25, Lori Rolin, North Carolina

# 15,618:

4:17 pm PDT, Sep 25, Name not displayed, California
We need this species as part of the greater chain of life!

# 15,617:

3:00 pm PDT, Sep 25, Name not displayed, Illinois

# 15,616:

2:57 pm PDT, Sep 25, Jason Nadeau, Wisconsin
I believe it should be stopped because it is down right disturbing. The prairie dogs are an extremely important part of the ecosystem where they live. If you poison them, then other animals will be affected that rely on them to survive, then those animals will eventually become extinct because of your stupid actions against one animal.

# 15,615:

2:15 pm PDT, Sep 25, Chris Maccarone, California

# 15,614:

1:35 pm PDT, Sep 25, Name not displayed, California

# 15,613:

12:33 pm PDT, Sep 25, Julia Powell, Ohio
This poisoning plan not only threatens a diminished prairie dog population; it puts other wildlife at risk. Species such as hawks, eagles, foxes, coyotes and black-footed ferrets rely on prairie dog colonies for food, shelter and habitat for survival.

# 15,612:

12:18 pm PDT, Sep 25, Pete Tandon, New Jersey
I believe that an alternate solution to inhumane and senseless death of animals really should be looked into before even considering this option. We arent the only things alive on this planet.

# 15,611:

11:53 am PDT, Sep 25, Clare Evans, United Kingdom

# 15,610:

11:50 am PDT, Sep 25, Wenona Napolitano, Michigan

# 15,609:

11:41 am PDT, Sep 25, Daniel Hocking, Missouri

# 15,608:

10:52 am PDT, Sep 25, Name not displayed, Florida
Don't give the historians even more Bush bashing fodder ...

# 15,607:

10:21 am PDT, Sep 25, Petra Deluca, Pennsylvania
Isn't the world in bad enough shape? Poisoning wildlife is a good idea? I don't think so. You're a smart bunch, come up with something more humane.

# 15,606:

10:03 am PDT, Sep 25, Donna Olney, Massachusetts

# 15,605:

9:58 am PDT, Sep 25, Erin Scott, California

# 15,604:

9:55 am PDT, Sep 25, Gayle Pereksta, North Carolina
Uncaring selfish poisoning of animals who every right to be here.......causing damage to our delicate eco-system......more than we can ever know........and for what?? More profit for selfish humans.......Work WITH the planet....dont POISON IT!

# 15,603:

9:38 am PDT, Sep 25, Haviland Gordineer, New York

# 15,602:

9:34 am PDT, Sep 25, Carolyn Vernick, Texas
As taxpayers and concerned citizens, we insist this action be stopped immediately. There is no need to destroy prairie dog colonies to preserve the grazing areas of the upper plains. This poisoning is unnecessary and dangerous to the natural balance of life in these areas. As public stewards of our wild-lands, please do your part to protect America's wildlife and grasslands, and bring common sense back to the management of these public lands.

# 15,601:

9:20 am PDT, Sep 25, Jeff Leonard, North Carolina
This needs to be stopped. Poisoning an animal that is already reducing in population size and threatening the wildlife ecostructure by removing a a food souce/tainting the food source, is unacceptable.

View Signatures:
|<
<
15,626
15,600
15,550
...
150
100
50
>
>|

Stop Prairie Dog Poisoning

This petition has been closed.