We Need to Ban Rodenticides

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Rodenticides have claimed the life of another bobcat in California after attempts to rescue and rehabilitate it were unsuccessful. The bobcat was tremendously underweight and was suffering from mange, a known side effect of consuming rodenticides. The bobcat was anemic, severely dehydrated, suffering from mange, and had white gums, all indicative of being poisoned by rodenticides. This poor bobcat was the latest in a string of victims who have inadvertently consumed rodenticides and suffered a painful, slow death.

Rodenticides are outdated and frankly, ineffective in their management of small animals deemed "problems". Rodents like rats, mice, and squirrels are targeted by the rodenticides in an effort to curb their numbers but these rodenticides are indiscriminate in their targets and non-target animals can also come into contact with these poisons leading hem to endure a slow, painful death. 

While non-target animals can come into contact with these rodenticides, they can also inadvertently come into contact with these poisons through hunting animals that have already consumed these poisons. In some cases, rodents can take up to 4 days to die making them vulnerable to attacks from predatory animals like coyotes, foxes, and bobcats. As the rodents begin to slow down due to poisoning, they become easy meals for predatory animals. Unfortunately, the poison coursing through their systems makes them dangerous to consume leading to the poisoning of predatory animals who then suffer needlessly for days before dying themselves.

It is abundantly clear that rodenticides are ineffective in rodent management. They are dangerous and can harm both humans and non-target animals leading to accidental poisonings and death. Using these poisons in state parks and protected land is abhorrent and puts innocent people / non-target animals at risk of accidental poisoning which could lead to death. If our only management tool for dealing with rodents is to poison everything in the vicinity, we need a new strategy in managing rodent populations. We are killing innocent animals and forcing them to suffer for days on end as the poison courses through their systems, ultimately leading to their deaths. 

There is currently an anti-rodenticide motion on the desk of Governor Gavin Newsom awaiting approval. The ban will prohibit the use of second-generation rodenticides as well as banning the use of rodenticides in state parks. This is a necessary change that will spare predatory animals the agony of a slow death by poisoning. These horrific poisons need to be banned across the board. The evidence is overwhelming in suggesting that these poisons are ineffective and this story is case and point. We are killing predatory animals which undoubtedly leads to an increase in rodent populations and then what? More poisons to manage the increase? It's a vicious cycle that is seeing too many non-target animals suffering agonizing deaths.

Ban rodenticides and stop the killing.

HAPPY VEG