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!

We the undersigned urge the Canadian Federal Government to not lift the current Liquid Strychnine Ban.

History has proven that liquid strychnine can have a devastating effect on our local wildlife as well as cats and dogs. With no control over how much poison is used, even animals as big as black bears are at risk. Gophers that eventually succumb to it's effects are often eaten by scavengers, putting them at risk of poisoning as well.

There are much safer alternatives to Liquid Strychnine, including the currently available pre-formulated pellets, as well as Zinc Phosphide.

Our wildlife and environment is worth the effort of finding another method of pest control!

Thank you for taking the time to read this letter,