On May 29 the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finally took the long overdue steps to protect children, wildlife, and companion animals from inhumane and dangerous poisions by imposesing new restrictions on commonly used rat poisons.
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Rat poison manufacturers now have 90 days to comply with the new
rules, which include packaging poisons in child-safe containers
and restricting bulk sales to agricultural and commercial users.
Begining in 2005, I began urging retail giant Home Depot to stop selling these products. I informed company executives about the inherent cruelty and dangers posed by the rodent poisons they sold in their stores.
I told them the basics, that the active ingredient in the poisons it sold is highly dangerous and causes extreme suffering prior to death in people and other animals. That the product worked by causing the blood vessels to eventually explode, causing victims to bleed internally until they succumb to the painful effects of blood loss, followed by cardiac, respiratory, or kidney failure. And that the poison is notoriously non-selective and has the potential to kill domestic dogs and cats, wildlife, children, and even grown adults.
I also informed them that, according to records kept by the American Association of Poison Control Centers, between 2001 and 2003 there were nearly 60,000 poisoning cases nationwide by rodenticides — more than for any other pesticide. About 250 of those exposures resulted in serious outcomes, including death. Many of these incidents involved children.
And they didn’t just hear from me. Thousands of our members and other concerned citizens sent postcards and letters asking that these products be removed from their shelves or at the very least that they post signs warning customers of the dangers and the humane alternatives available.
Home Depot never even provided us the courtesy of a reply.
Tsk, tsk, tsk.
So am I feeling a bit smug now that the EPA has essentially stepped in and taken my side on this issue? Yeah, I am.
But mostly, I am feeling hopeful that this recent decsion will inspire more people to search for humane and environmentally sound ways to deal with unwanted wildlife — yes, rats are wildlife too.
Here are a few tips for dealing with unwanted rats and mice around the home.
Ultimately, the key to resolving conflicts with rats is to limiting access to the home and removing attractants.
In general, picking up fallen fruit, enclosing compost piles, cleaning up spilled food, not leaving pet food outdoors, and securing household food indoors in rodent proof containers can help reduce the attractiveness of your home to rats.
If you think rats are entering your home via your doggy door, you might consider installing an electronic doggy door that will allow your dog to enter the home but will keep unwanted “guests” out. Electronic doors work via a radio signal from a transmitter worn on the companion animal’s collar. As the dog or cat approaches the door, it sends a signal to the door for it to unlock. After the companion animal exits, the door automatically relocks. More information on this product is available online.
Blogging off,
Monica