[cabo35]

It appears that a fairly significant reaction to the loss of our buffalo is taking place. There has been significant activity around a very nice lady getting petitions signed at the buffalo preserve on Buena Vista. Many Villagers have asked her for blank petitions to take back to there neighborhoods. Several commercial establishments in Lake Sumter have offered to help with the petition drive. My wife and I spent some time with her twice today and virtually every cart that passed stopped, chatted, echoed support and signed.

I have received emails from neighbors that are looking for a way to show organized objection to the proposed removal of the buffalo. They are also offering to work for the cause. It was a hot topic at Toojays and buzz around the square.

I don't know how successful any effort will be but my guess is there is about to be a ground swell of publicity on the issue. Look for letters to the editor if they do not meet an unceremonious demise on the editor's desk. I know of several that are in transit.

Anybody have any major media connections? Sounds like the type of story that could capture national attention. Not sure which way it would spin for the developer. Any thoughts?

4 the buffalo

[chelsea24]

Cabo, I do have a suggestion. If you or someone would write a Press Release, I have software that can get it to all the major wire services and we can see if any picks it up. I think they will. I've used this software before with great results. Let me know what you think.

p.s. We should have a contact person and a name for the movement. Anyone have any name suggestions?

[bestmickey]

Originally Posted by chelsea24

Cabo, I do have a suggestion. If you or someone would write a Press Release, I have software that can get it to all the major wire services and we can see if any picks it up. I think they will. I've used this software before with great results. Let me know what you think.

p.s. We should have a contact person and a name for the movement. Anyone have any name suggestions?

I have a suggestion for naming "the movement"..... SAVE OUR BUFFALO

So no one gets confused on what the intended meaning is of "SOB" ... for literature letterhead, you can create a picture of residents sobbing at the thought of losing their dear buffalo.

[marianne237]

Love it!!! :bigthumbsup:

[Talk Host]

My guess is that there have been serious enough problems with the Buffalo that the decision was not easily made and will not be reversed. Actually, the problem is not the Buffalo, it is the people who think they are family pets.

People stick their fingers (or their grandchildren's fingers) in the Buffalo's mouth, are bitten, then sue the developer. They reported that there have been 3 recent litigations. I know there have been many more than that over the years.

IF YOU WERE THE DEVELOPER, WHAT WOULD YOU DO? WOULD YOU REVERSE THE DECISION?

[villages07]

If I were the developer, I would look for a workable compromise. Leave one smaller group of buffalo near a people place (e.g. part of the pen near Lake Sumter) and erect the double fence to keep the stupid humans from hurting themselves.

Win-win....minimizes potential harm/lawsuits and still provides a central location where residents and their guests can enjoy this unique feature of The Villages. The rest of the herd can be relocated to a remote, safe place. The developer wins some goodwill points from the residents and we still get to look at "our" Buffalo.

I, too, met the lady with the petition drive yesterday. She is ready and willing to raise funds to erect a second fence. Not that the Developer needs funds for this, but, certainly does demonstrate how this action has affected the community.

Chels...love your idea about a press release. Yes, this can stir up some media interest outside the local community. No one is blaming the developer for having to take some action. I just hate to see it be an all or none choice.

I am with Talk Host on this one. Stupid people seem to be the problem here not the buffalo. Well I should qualify this with stupid people and their lawyers.

There's not much that the developers can do to keep visitors to the Villages as well as some Villagers from attempting to pet, feed, or otherwise play with the buffalo. They are an attractive nuisance http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attract...sance_doctrine to put it in legal jargon.

Attractive nuisance applies to children trespassers http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trespasser but it looks like some states have law that brings adult trespassers into the doctrine too.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by villages07

If I were the developer, I would look for a workable compromise. Leave one smaller group of buffalo near a people place (e.g. part of the pen near Lake Sumter) and erect the double fence to keep the stupid humans from hurting themselves.

Win-win....minimizes potential harm/lawsuits and still provides a central location where residents and their guests can enjoy this unique feature of The Villages. The rest of the herd can be relocated to a remote, safe place. The developer wins some goodwill points from the residents and we still get to look at "our" Buffalo.

I, too, met the lady with the petition drive yesterday. She is ready and willing to raise funds to erect a second fence. Not that the Developer needs funds for this, but, certainly does demonstrate how this action has affected the community.

Chels...love your idea about a press release. Yes, this can stir up some media interest outside the local community. No one is blaming the developer for having to take some action. I just hate to see it be an all or none choice.



OH Village 07. Will you run for something so I can vote for you?? I love your calm reasoned attitude and good evaluations and logical suggestions.

[MnGirl]

I too would love to see the buffalo stay.
You will need double fences on all the pastures. Buffalo have to be rotated to allow the grass to grow. Correct me if I'm wrong. :dontknow:
After the guy got trampled, the sign went up saying "Survivors will be prosecuted".

Maybe, the developer could create a small zoo with some of the buffalo so that Villagers can still go and see these critters???

[scottke]

Anything we can do to keep the buffalo in view, I'm for. They are part of our Villages lifestyle.

[redwitch]

Once I found the buffalo, I feel in love with them. I loved just sitting and watching them. I hated the idiots who fed them and tried to pet them. They destroyed something majestic for all of us.

I'd love the idea that we could save the buffalo but I think the reality is they're gone from our sight. Even with double fences the odds are some will go through the first set of fences to get to the buffalo. No matter what, they would be considered attractive nuisances and these idiots would win more of their lawsuits than they would lose.

[beady]

I have to agree that it will be difficult to get the developer to change his ruling about removing the buffalo.
That being said, and considering the buffalo's long history with TV, it is troublesome for me to just let their relocation occur. Therefore, I would prefer to try and work out a solution providing those of us with common sense to prevail over the :edit: humans who put themselves in harms way and then expect to be compensated for their idiocy.
My letter to the editor has been sent....it will be interesting to see if it is printed. I will sign any petition and I love Chels idea of a press release.
IMHO we owe it to ourselves to be involved in the decision to remove "our" buffalo.

[redwitch]

I'll happily work to save them but will expect it to be a losing effort (always did like losing causes for some strange reason).

Maybe an electrical fence might be an answer to keep people from climbing between the two fences?

[beady]

Redwitch.....
I guess my cup is half full, and yours is half empty. Together with some of the other interested villagers we will hopefully fill the cup. and drink to our success. :beer2: