Every city, county, and state with prairie dogs to manage likely has a management plan posted on their government website. Explore these plans and reports for your area to see how they may differ. Some things to look for are:

• Do they prioritize non-lethal options for conflict-resolution?

• Do they make every effort to relocate before extermination?

• Do they have standards for humane wildlife handling?

• Are they seeking to reduce their prairie dog populations year over year?

Have questions or opposition to what you find? Be sure to reach out to the agency or wildlife department to address your concerns and demand transparency.

Research shows that one of the best ways to influence your elected officials is to speak to them or ask questions at a public event. When your elected officials are back in your state or district, find out if they are hosting any public events, like a town hall or a meet-and-greet, and show up with some friends.

Important officials for wildlife issues include governor, county and state commissioners, state/county/city wildlife agency leadership, mayor, city council, and even neighborhood associations.

Letters can be hand-written or typed and sent through snail mail or emailed to several officials at once.

Tips for Getting Your Message Across

Identify yourself as their constituent: State your city and zip code when you call or include your full name and return address on the letter or email. Typically, you only want to write to your own politicians.

Stick to one issue: Address only one issue per letter or call--clarity and brevity are key to getting your message across, especially over the phone when you have limited time.

Personalize your message: Briefly share your personal story and state why you care about this issue and why your elected official should care, too.

Make your ask clear: Be clear, concise, and as specific as possible about the action you want taken.

A letter to the editor (LTE) is a letter sent to a publication (typically a newspaper or magazine) about an issue of concern to the reader. Usually these letters are intended for publication, making them an incredibly valuable tool for raising community awareness and support for your issue.

Interested in volunteering for the prairie ecosystem? Check out our volunteer page for current opportunities!

A considerable barrier to prairie dog restoration is negative public perception. In short, a lot of people do not like prairie dogs and/or are unaware of the incredible value they bring to our wild spaces.

Luckily, social media is a quick way to stay connected with current events, campaigns, and learn new information. Online platforms create a space for you to express your concerns about a particular piece of legislation, voice opposition of a local project, ask your elected officials to support issues that are important to you, or simply create community awareness.

Tagging an elected official or agency in a post or Tweeting directly at them gets your point across quickly and in a concise manner, and can easily be shared by others to amplify your message. Including hashtags used by others on the same issue helps amplify the message and get topics to "trend" online.

Let’s make prairie dogs viral! As some of the most accessible watchable wildlife in the Rockies, the opportunities to advocate are endless.

#PrairieDogCoalition #GoPDogs!

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