Local Group Helps Save the Prairie Dogs
By: Meredith Hillgartner
Updated: November 9, 2012
Joann Haddock is talking about prairie dogs, a creature that is as common to West Texas at the wind.
"God made them for a reason," Haddock said.
Haddock is part of Citizens For Prairie Dogs and spends her free time saving them across Lubbock County.
"We go out whenever a prairie dog is in jeopardy," Haddock said. "Usually from people wanting to poison them, either on private land or even the city poisons prarie dogs on public land, and also on construction jobs. Anytime a prairie dog is in need."
Haddock said she takes them out of the city to a ranch near New Mexico.
"If they have moved in like here at KLBK," Haddock said. "They don't want the prairie dogs they don't want to poison them or do anything inhumane, then we're here to humanely relocate them to a better home."
Haddock said these animals unfortunately have a bad reputation.
"They have been taught the bad things about prairie dogs," Haddock said. "Which sometimes they do, do some bad things but they are here for a purpose."
Haddock said prairie dogs do everything from providing food and shelter for other animals to helping with landscaping.
"They do actually keep the prairie grass healthy and keep all the weeds clipped down," Haddock said. "Actually even keep some of the bugs down."
Usually people get rid of prairie dogs with poison, which is legal, but Haddock said that method has dramatically dwindled the population.
"So that just tells you how much the population has been decimated already," Haddock said.
Haddock said people in the South Plains should give the little guys a chance.
"They are not evil like so many people think," Haddock said. "They are they are an animal that just tries to make a living like we do."
