Church accommodates prairie dogs--for now

TONIGHT IN AN ONGOING BATTLE BETWEEN A CHURCH AND PRAIRIE DOGS IT S A STORY YOU SAW FIRST ON 4 THREE WEEKS AGO WE SHOWED YOU HOW AN ANIMAL RIGHTS GROUP AND ALBUQUERQUE CHURCH WERE FEUDING OVER RELOCATING THE ANIMALS NOW THERE S A COMPROMISE JOE VIGIL IS LIVE NEAR TRAMWAY AND INDIAN SCHOOL WITH THE STORY -- JOE IT APPEARS ONE PROBLEM HERE MAY BE SOLVED--BUT THERE MAY BE ANOTHER ONE BREWING AND IF IT CAN T BE RESOLVED THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE MAY STEP IN THIS IS WHAT THE GROUP PRAIRIE DOGS PALS DID NOT WANT TO SEE AROUND CALVARY CHAPEL EAST A SCHOOL THAT S MOVING TO THE CHURCH HAS BEEN WANTING TO PUT IN A PLAYGROUND BUT THE ANIMAL GROUP IS WORRIED PRAIRIE DOGS AND THEIR NEWBORNS WILL BE BURIED ALIVE THIS LONE PROTESTER DIDN T WANT TO SEE THE PLACE DUG UP EITHER I think it s hypocritical for the church to be doing this they say don t kill babies don t kill people and they re willing to tear up the ground and kill all these baby animals AS WE REPORTED THREE WEEKS AGO--PRAIRIE DOG PALS WAS WORKING WITH THE CHURCH TO RELOCATE THE ANIMALS BUT ANIMAL GROUP MEMBERS BECAME FURIOUS--SAYING A CHURCH MAINTENANCE MAN WAS TAKING MATTERS INTO HIS OWN HANDS POLICE RESPONDED TO REPORTS OF HIM SHOOTING AT THE DOGS WITH A BB GUN PRAIRIE DOG PALS FOUND A DEAD DOG BUT POLICE DIDN T CHARGE ANYONE NOW THERE S A COMPROMISE WITH THE BLESSING OF PRAIRIE DOG PALS---OFFICIALS MOVED THE PLAYGROUND TO A DIFFERENT PART OF THE PROPERTY There are no prairie dogs holes over here whatsoever none Our intention was never to kill the prairie dogs get rid of them or anything like that we just wanted to put in a playground HOWEVER---A SOCCER FIELD AND GYM WILL GO HERE TOO AND THERE ARE STILL PRAIRIE DOGS IN THE WAY GEORGIE COWAN SAYS THE CONGREGATION ISN T A LARGE ONE AND JUST CAN T AFFORD TO MOVE THE ANIMALS THE CITY WANTS OFFICIALS TO HELP PAY AT LEAST PART OF THE COST BUT IF THAT DOESN T HAPPEN THE CITY WILL HELP WITH FUNDRAISING EFFORTS TO PAY THE EXPENSES A CITY SPOKESPERSON SAYS THE CITY WILL NOT USE TAXPAYER MONEY FOR THE FUNDRAISING EFFORT THE CHURCH HAS TOLD US IT WILL COST AROUND 5- THOUSAND DOLLARS TO MOVE THE ANIMALS INVESTIGATORS