Every year, the government of Canada permits thousands of wild animals to die a painful, prolonged and torturous death by poisoning.
The Canadian government allows the deadly poisons—strychnine, sodium cyanide and Compound 1080—to be used in Alberta and Saskatchewan to kill wolves, bears and coyotes. But every year the widespread and poorly regulated use of these indiscriminate poisons results in the agonising and painful deaths of not only these species, but also pet dogs, endangered species and other non-target animals.
Our global petition helped ensure strychnine was not used for wolf control by the province of Alberta last year—and we're delighted to announce the same for this year. However, there's still more work to be done to keep this cruel method of extermination by poisoning off the table forever. We are now at a critical crossroads to urge the Canadian government to stop the use of poisons to kill wolves and other wildlife once and for all.
There is no question about it: a prolonged and painful death by poison is inhumane. There is sufficient scientific evidence to end the ineffective, unnecessary and cruel use of these lethal substances. These poisons have no place in modern wildlife policy. Now is the time to speak up and take action!
Please send a message to the governments of Canada and Alberta, asking them to put an end to the cruel and unnecessary poisoning of wild animals.
I am writing to express my concern about the current policy allowing the use of using poison to kill wolves, bears and coyotes in Canada. There is sufficient scientific evidence indicating that the use of strychnine, Compound 1080 and sodium cyanide to kill large vertebrate predators is inhumane, and I would like to see an immediate end to the use of these poisons to kill wolves, bears and coyotes in Alberta and Canada.
The use of strychnine, currently approved for use in the province of Alberta, is in contravention of the guidelines of the Canadian Council on Animal Care, the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association, the American Veterinary Medical Association and the American Society of Mammalogists. The use of cyanide and Compound 1080 have also been denounced by many of these bodies.
Strychnine, sodium cyanide and Compound 1080 are inhumane and indiscriminate poisons, causing unnecessary pain and suffering and killing far more animals than those for which they are intended. These poisons have no place in modern wildlife conservation practices.
Wolves, grizzly bears and coyotes are apex predators that play a valuable ecosystem role. There is no scientific evidence to suggest that killing predators will assist in the recovery of prey populations, such as caribou, or to reduce human-wildlife conflicts. I urge your governments to invest in humane, non-lethal methods to manage conflicts between humans and wildlife.
Sincerely,
(name)
