Protect Mountain Lions, Wildlife and Pets - Ban Super-toxic Pesticides
Last week a female mountain lion in California, known as P-34, was found dead in a state park. Tests confirmed she had been exposed to an anticoagulant rat poison and died painfully, bleeding to death from the inside out.
Anticoagulant rodenticides interfere with blood clotting, resulting in uncontrollable bleeding that leads to death. These slow-acting poisons are often eaten for several days by rats and mice, causing the toxins to accumulate in their tissues and poisoning predators that eat the weakened rodents. A recent study found rodenticides in more than 75 percent of wildlife tested in California, including eagles, owls, bobcats, mountain lions and imperiled Pacific fishers. It's not just wildlife that's affected, either -- pet cats and dogs are also regular victims of these gruesome chemicals.
The killing must stop.
When there are safe, effective methods on the market to deal with the public health concerns from rodent infestations it's time for a nationwide ban on these inhumane and indiscriminate killers.
Send the Environmental Protection Agency a letter urging them to ban anticoagulant rodenticides today -- before any more innocent animals die.
Director Housenger,
I am writing to urge you to immediately ban the sale and use of deadly anticoagulant rodenticides. As you know anticoagulant pesticides are toxic chemicals used to control rat and mouse populations. When ingested, these chemicals interfere with blood clotting and result in uncontrollable bleeding and painful death.
[Your comment will be added here]
That's bad enough, but these deadly toxins don't stop there. Because they are slow-acting, the chemicals accumulate in the tissues of rats and mice and move up the food chain, going on to poison, weaken and kill predators that feed on the rodents. The victims include eagles, owls, imperiled Pacific fishers, bobcats and mountain lions as well as family pets. Recently the beloved California mountain lion known as P-34 was found dead in a state park -- another victim of these cruel compounds.
Anticoagulant rodenticides are cruel, indiscriminate killers and the grim toll their use takes on our natural heritage, wildlife and pets is too high. There are safe, cost-effective tools available today that can address rodent infestations without the devastating impacts on nontarget animals.
Please immediately ban the sale of these deadly chemicals.
Sincerely,
[Your name]
