Tell Canada NOT to lift the Strychnine Poison Ban!

Liquid Strychnine was used by farmers to poison Richardson Ground Squirrels, or Gophers. Strychnine is an extremely toxic alkoloid that results in muscular convulsions and eventually leads to death through asphyxia or exhaustion.

Strychnine was banned by the Canadian Federal Government in 1993 due to the devastating effects it had on non-target animals. Gophers were not the only animals to ingest the substance; birds, waterfowl, foxes, rabbits, and even dogs and cats suffered the horrible fate of being poisoned by Strychnine. Gophers that were killed by the poison were often consumed by predators such as raptors, coyotes, and foxes, poisoning them as well.

Farmers continue to have pre-formulated Strychnine pellets available to them with 0.4% Strychnine, which is still dangerous but less likely to poison unintended larger animals.

Recently, farmers in Alberta and Saskatchewan  have been requesting a lift of the Strychnine Ban, claiming that the gophers will not eat it.   However,  Liquid Strychnine has been banned  for over a decade  in Canada and even longer in some States. It has been replaced with a much safer alternative, Zinc Phosphide.

Please tell the Canadian Government that the safety and welfare of our native wildlife, as well as our family pets, are important to us! Please Oppose the lifting of the liquid Strychnine Ban!