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The USDA will stop using sodium cyanide "bombs" in Idaho (at least temporarily) following an incident that put a 14-year-old in the hospital and killed his dog:
About a month after an anti-predator device spit sodium cyanide in the face of an unsuspecting boy and killed his dog, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced it is ending its use of the M-44 mechanisms in Idaho indefinitely.
"We take seriously the incident in Idaho," Jason Suckow, western regional director of the USDA's Wildlife Services agency, told conservation groups in a letter Monday. "We immediately responded by removing all M-44s from the area, initiating an inquiry into the incident, and launching a review of current [Wildlife Services] operating procedures."
Suckow noted the agency has "removed all M-44s currently deployed on all land ownerships in Idaho" and has refrained from planting new ones.
(Score: 5, Informative) by sjames on Sunday April 16 2017, @06:33PM (4 children)
Sadly, they have yet to understand that their actions were criminally negligent. They didn't remove the devices in any other state and they haven't promised not to use them again. Had anyone but the U.S. government placed the mine, that person would be awaiting trial right now. I have yet to hear of anyone with the agency offering to cover any medical bills, much less offering reasonable compensation (to the extent that you can compensate a 14 year old boy for watching his family pet die in terror).
Short of somebody being put in the back of a police car, I'm not sure what will give them the needed message.
(Score: 3, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday April 16 2017, @08:03PM
Apparently in the past they have just denied setting the mines if someone complains:
http://www.predatordefense.org/docs/m44_press_EPA_investigation_1-17-08.pdf [predatordefense.org]
(Score: 2, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday April 16 2017, @08:13PM (2 children)
Wow in this one the investigation apparently intimidated the family. Also there was no livestock in the area to be protected anyway:
http://www.predatordefense.org/docs/m44_article_Buddy_Tippetts.pdf [predatordefense.org]
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Monday April 17 2017, @04:38AM (1 child)
Well, you're mistaken on a technicality. The dog is "livestock". So, they were "protecting" the dog.
Let me add that coyotes love killing dogs. I've not seen it myself, but I'm told that a pack of coyotes will take a position at the reverse military crest of a hill, then one member will run over the hill to taunt a lone dog. The dog comes out to chase the lone coyote, which then runs back over the hill. One-on-one, a typical German Shepard will tear a coyote apart. With six to one (or more) odds in their favor, the coyotes always win.
Which goes to show that coyotes are pretty damned smart. The booby traps won't remain effective against them for long - if they are effective now.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday April 17 2017, @06:54PM
killing coyotes at all is ineffective. they take role at night and the alpha females have more pups if you killed one/some.