Beware!

Or should I say, be AWARE of the animals that visit us in our yards during the autumn season, and usually at night. The fall has donned her beautiful colors, shedding her old leaves which will provide shelter and warmth for the tiny creatures that may live in the ground, and in the trees. Squirrels are stuffing nests with the abundance of fallen leaves, and tiny ground rodents use it to insulate their homes and  travel inconspicuously out of sight from predators.

But, many folks are not so fond of these nuisance creatures. Many animals, most nocturnal,  are feeling the autumn chill, and forcing them closer to our homes, and often into them. Mice, squirrels, raccoons, and even birds are beginning to move in just a little closer, sometimes too close. I myself have seen some new burrowing activity near the house; probably just an opossum. I don’t mind them as they are a great rodent patrol themselves.

Many people are resorting to baiting these unwelcome freeloaders. Even when the local health department is called they will fill the holes with the substance to reduce nuisance populations. The bait is usually placed in an inconspicuous corner of a basement, garage, and even outdoor yard.  Animals are drawn to the bait with its disguise as a tasty meal. The animal eats the poison and ultimately, slowly and painfully, dies.

Not only is a small rodent susceptible to the toxin, but so are our local pets and wildlife populations. The small mammal suffers and losses its ability to run and hide, making it a very easy meal for a raptor, or a toxic toy for our household pets. An owl may catch the contaminated meal, a dog might play with the fluffy toy, or cat may find the animal for a snack and then itself will die from the exposure to the poison. More importantly, raptors are a keystone species of the natural food web. The use of poison can cause the natural balance to actually tip in favor of the pest, and has in areas that have over used the product that is so readily available to offer that simple solution to rodent problem.

Our hospital receives several patients that have been exposed to the fatal substance. It is never the rat or mouse they were hoping to poison. It is usually an adorable chipmunk or even a hawk or owl. It is heartbreaking to see them suffer the effects of a product that can be simply purchased at any home store. All animals are in danger of poisons used for rodent control; Dogs, cats, hawks, owls, and even children. Please know that there is no such thing as a safe Rat Poison! Please do not use it at all, try alternative methods, such as reducing food availability, keeping trash away from the house, and filling tiny crevices to stop them from even entering.

So, be aware that there is a population of native animals out there  keeping these populations in check.  Even when I let our dogs out in the dark, I can rarely see what they are up to when they are in the yard. Let the creatures of the night control the population on their own without toxic intervention. More mice will encourage more owls in the night, and even more hawks in the day. What could be more rewarding than that!