Collateral damage
To the editor:
Rat poison is killing our wildlife in alarming numbers all over Southwest Florida. Everyone, please do not use rat poison to kill your rodents.
Why?
Rat poisons are killing our wildlife in large numbers. Eagles, raccoons, raptors such as owls, osprey ,hawks, possums squirrels, cats, harmless snakes, even dogs, all have died due to eating rats and mice who were ill or dead from being poisoned by rat poisons. Some die by eating the poison pellets, as well.
Please use traps to kill your rats and mice.Best to use traps in the attic and outdoors. Save our wildlife. Killing some of these animals mentioned above causes our rodent population to grow because they are predators to the mice and rats and keep these populations down.
Another large key to stop using rat poisons is to ask the professional pest control people who are exterminating the rodents in and around your home to use traps and to not use rat poisons. If you would, kindly write to the local pest control companies along with this letter asking them to please use only rodent traps and not poisons to kill the rats and mice and other vermin they are paid to exterminate. This message should go out to businesses such as restaurants, nursing homes, hospitals, stores, supermarkets and others that have rodent problems Use traps, not poisons.
Due to rat poison being distributed by some pest control companies serving Sanibel, the owl population is in serious decline. Ninety-one percent of barn owls examined post montem had ingested rat poison. Cats and dogs can also be affected. Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Society is asking residents and businesses to stop using rat poisons.
Carl Veneaux
Cape Coral