New York's wildlife, pets and even children are being put at risk of poisoning by the continued use of super-toxic rat poisons.
Called second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides, these poisons induce a slow death by internal bleeding. And because they persist in body tissues, poisoned rats and mice are being turned into deadly meals for other animals up the food chain. More than 30 different New York wildlife species have been unintentionally poisoned -- from red-tailed hawks and great-horned owls to golden eagles and foxes.
The collateral damage from these rodenticides also includes pets and children who can be unintentionally poisoned as well. Safe, effective and inexpensive alternatives to these rat poisons are widely available -- it's simply unnecessary to keep these most hazardous poisons on the market.
Take action today -- tell New York officials that you support a ban on second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides to protect wildlife, pets and children.
I am writing to support a ban on second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides (SGARs) in New York. These pesticides are too dangerous and should be regulated as a restricted-use pesticide.
[Your comment will be added here]
Use of SGARs results in more than 10,000 accidental exposures to children each year in the United States. And these poisons have also caused the unintentional deaths of numerous pets and wildlife. SGARs travel up the food chain when a predator eats a poisoned rodent. Golden eagles, great-horned owls, foxes and domesticated cats are among the more than 30 species that have died from SGAR poisoning in New York alone. These deaths can be prevented if stricter regulations are put in place.
Actions by other agencies demonstrate that greater controls on these products are necessary. The EPA has already approved a ban on products containing SGARs for residential consumers. And on July 1 California enacted restrictions on SGARs to limit use to licensed professionals.
Please -- support the legal petition submitted by the Center for Biological Diversity, American Bird Conservancy, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Earthjustice, New York City Audubon and Raptors are the Solution to the New York Department of Environmental Conservation to regulate SGARs as restricted-use pesticides. Safer and effective alternatives to these toxic rodenticides are widely available and inexpensive, making it unnecessary to keep them on the market. Approving a ban on SGARs is what's best for public safety.
Thank you,
[Your name]
