WildEarth Guardians

Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Group Demands Police Investigation Into Grand Junction Dog Poisoning

Toxicant used Illegally -- Potential Bioterrorism Hazard
Contact: WildEarth Guardians

Denver.-After a dog ingested a lethal dose of strychnine poisoning in Grand Junction, allegedly set out for coyote killing, conservation group WildEarth Guardians requested that the Environmental Protection Agency and the Colorado Department of Agriculture quickly investigate this matter.

The EPA rates strychnine as a Category 1 toxicant, the most acute class of toxicants. "Strychnine is a very lethal toxicant that can poison any animal that ingests a lethal dose, it can also poison any animal that scavenges on a poisoned carcass-even protected species such as bald eagles," said Wendy Keefover-Ring, Carnivore Protection Director of WildEarth Guardians. "It is illegal to use strychnine to poison coyotes."

When used illegally, strychnine could be considered a bioterrorism agent under the Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act. Strychnine is only allowed for poisoning rodents underground by certified applicators because it could kill non-target species and cause secondary poisonings. Many threatened and endangered species were killed by strychnine in the past.

Grand Junction has already experienced similar problems: In 2001, approximately 30 pets were illegally poisoned by Compound 1080 in Grand Junction, Colorado and the investigating police officer, David Palacios, who handled the poisoned animals was sickened. The Grand Junction police and FBI never apprehended the culprit who ultimately dumped the poison into the local sewer system.

Read the letter (PDF)

Contact: Wendy Keefover-Ring | WildEarth Guardians | 303.596.3756