Feds using toxic bombs to poison wildlife

Last month, an agent with U.S. Department of Agriculture’s “Wildlife Services” agency placed an M-44 cyanide bomb on public lands in eastern Idaho. The agent missed his target but claimed a couple of unintended victims: 14-year old Canyon Mansfield and his dog Casey were sprayed by its poison. Canyon survived, but his beloved dog suffered a prolonged and excruciating death.

These bombs have killed dozens of other family dogs, as well.

This rogue, secret and publicly unaccountable agency employs a device, topped with bait, to lure animals. When triggered, it releases a burst of cyanide spray into the mouth of the victim where it is readily absorbed into the lungs causing asphyxiation. It’s a weapon of mass destruction and among the most acutely toxic substances on earth.

Yet, Wildlife Services places this poison with alacrity in 14 states, including Nevada. In fact, they’ve killed tens of thousands of animals (including pets). And since they are frequently out of compliance with safety mandates and EPA restrictions, many people, as well as their own agents, have been harmed.

H.R. 1817 (Chemical Poisons Reduction Act of 2017) has been introduced to ban these dangerous devices nationwide, and we need our representatives to support its passage if we don’t want to see Nevada’s wildlife poisoned in such an agonizing way.