Pass H.R.5643: Prevent Unintended Death of Wildlife, Pets and People
When Brooke and Cliff Everest set out for a day of river rafting with their dog Bea, they never suspected the beloved spaniel would suddenly die. But that fateful day, Bea inspected a sheep carcass laced with Compound 1080.
H.R. 5643 would prohibit the use, production, sale, importation, and exportation of Compound 1080 and the use of sodium cyanide.
These two poisons, ranked Level 1 by the EPA for their high degree of acute toxicity, are used by Wildlife Services. Though intended to protect livestock from native predators like coyote, Compound 1080 and sodium cyanide are indiscriminate killers, and other wildlife (including endangered species), pets and people often fall victim.
In 2007, Wildlife Services admitted that it had internal issues with safely handling hazardous chemicals. Protect wildlife, pets, and people from unintentional and agonizing death by telling Congress to support H.R. 5643.
Dear Congress member,
H.R. 5643 would prevent the use, production, sale, importation and exportation of sodium fluoroacetate, also known as Compound 1080, and the use sodium cyanide for predator control.
These two poisons, ranked Level 1 by the EPA for their high degree of acute toxicity, are used by Wildlife Services. Though intended to protect livestock from native predators like coyote, Compound 1080 and sodium cyanide are indiscriminate killers, and other wildlife (including endangered species), pets and people often fall victim.
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In 2007, Wildlife Services admitted that it had internal issues with safely handling hazardous chemicals. Given the extremely dangerous nature of these substances, this information is particularly disturbing.
Compound 1080 is kept in a rubber bladder and tied around the necks of sheep, goats, and cattle. Though it's meant to kill predators who pierce the bladder when attempting to take down an animal, the poison often leaks after an animal encounters thorns, barbed wire, or other sharp objects. It is water-soluble, colorless, tasteless, odorless, and has no antidote.
Sodium cyanide is deployed by M-44s, spring-activated ejectors planted into the ground. The device is activated when a predator (or other animal, or child) pulls on the top, and ejects the poison into the activator's mouth and face. An M-44 can spray sodium cyanide up to five feet away, and the victim can die within minutes or suffer for hours.
Victims of Compound 1080 and sodium cyanide suffer agonizing and unfortunately, often unintentional deaths. Protect wildlife, pets, and people from supporting the passage of H.R. 5643.
