Lafayette orders trapped prairie dogs freed after public outcry

A prairie dog removal process was called off abruptly Thursday after angry residents flooded Lafayette city hall phone lines for several hours demanding the trapped animals’ release.

City officials began work to remove the colony near one of its water utility properties shortly after it was first discovered that the animals may have compromised “facility assets,” including a conduit and cable associated with water tank measurements at the site.

With temperatures reaching nearly 100 degrees, Lafayette residents and prairie dog activists took to social media with photos of the animals trapped in cages and left to sit in the sun, in some cases for hours.

Shortly after the deluge of calls and online outrage, the city announced that it had pulled back its removal effort. “Due to reports of excessive heat concerns for the animals being captured for transport,” officials wrote in the email blast, “the City Administrator has instructed the contractor to release the prairie dogs and remove the traps.”

Activists took to social media to celebrate.

“No prairie dog died today. Everyone in Lafayette must now work together to tighten up the laws and ensure that prairie dogs are protected, not destroyed,” the Facebook group for Prairie Protection Colorado wrote in a post.

It’s unclear what is planned for the site moving forward.