By Berny Morson, Rocky Mountain News
August 21, 2002

BRIGHTON - The owner of an animal sanctuary said Tuesday she has three days to find a new home for her 140 beasts.

Maxine Mager lost a bitter legal dispute last month with the owner of the 12 1⁄2-acre parcel where she runs Creative Acres. The owner then sold the land to a developer.

Many of the animals are old and sick. Among them are horses, sheep, pigs, dogs, cats, ferrets, goats, peacocks and several emus.

"People are being wonderful," Mager said of friends who are trying to find a new site for the sanctuary and trailers to move the animals.

The property just outside the Brighton city limits has passed to Prairie Center Development. The company is building a mixed use project across the road from Creative Acres.

Howard Gelt, an attorney for the developers, said last week Mager would have until the end of October to vacate.

Gelt could not be reached Tuesday, after Mager said she received the eviction notice.

Mager has identified sites in Elizabeth and Bennett but said she doesn't have the down payment.