2.20.2013 9:20 PM

Partial Mouse Poison Ban Leaves Wildlife at Risk

Good news for kids and pets, but restrictions on use of a potent poison don't spare wildlife.

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Photo: Istock

By Dan Shapley

The Environmental Protection Agency recently took additional steps to take the most dangerous rat poisons off the market, a step that wil "protect families but ... leave wildlife at risk," according to the Center for Biological Diversity.

The EPA order targets consumer second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides used in homes that do not contain tamper-resistant packaging such as loose baits, pastes or blocks. But the poisons are still on the market, and can still be purchased in bulk at agricultural supply stores and used outdoors, putting various wildlife at risk, including hawks, falcons, owls, bobcats, mountain lions and foxes.

The order should help protect the 10,000 children currently accidentally exposed to rat poison in homes, as well as household pets. But wildlife other than the mice targeted will die. Reckitt Benckiser, the maker of d-CON rat poison, has fought the rule, according to the Center for Biological Diversity.

For alternatives to pesticides, see How to Get Rid of Mice Naturally.

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