A press release earlier this year that the NSW National Parks Service was dropping 1080 bait for wild dogs on the borders of Kosciusko to appease neighbouring stock holders, raised the question: what does 1080, which most Australians have heard of since childhood, actually do to animals that are designated as ‘pests’ or that (like domestic dogs or cats) accidentally ingest the poison? Dog specialist Heike Hahner made some enquiries and filed this commentary
1080 poison has no place in modern
Australian society.
Researching 1080 makes one realise that
it must be one of the most controversial
poisons ever. Some sources quote that the
Nazis considered using this original rat
poison on Jewish prisoners in concentration
camps but desisted because of danger to the
guards.
Certainly millions of animals around the
world that are considered pests have died a
hideous death by ingesting it. Fortunately,
today it is banned in almost all countries
worldwide, with the standout exceptions of
Australia and New Zealand.
The use of 1080 must be addressed as an
animal welfare issue. The fact is that animals
that ingest it will die; and worse, they will
suffer incredibly for up to 48 hours before
they die.
In dogs, the signs of poisoning are usually
noticed within half an hour of ingestion, but
can take more than six hours to show up. First
symptoms include vomiting, anxiety,
disorientation and shaking. These quickly
develop into frenzied behavior with running
and screaming fits, drooling at the mouth,
uncontrolled paddling and seizures, followed
by total collapse and death.
Why does Australia still use 1080? Linda
van Bommel, a flock guardian expert and
PhD student at the ANU, explains that one reason 1080 is still used is that it is thought
to be less harmful to marsupials.
Placental mammals, such as foxes, cats,
dogs etc are highly susceptible to 1080.
Marsupials such as quolls that accidentally
eat 1080 bait may not necessarily die.
According to van Bommel though, so far no
research has been done to establish the longterm effects of 1080 on marsupials.
1080 is used by farmers today to kill foxes
and thus protect their flocks. However,
according to van Bommel, long-term success
with 1080 is meagre compared to other
methods of flock protection such as flock
guardians.
With 1080, one lot of foxes is killed for
one season; then, the next lot moves in and
their numbers, and farmer’s losses, increase
again. Guardian animals such as alpacas,
dogs or donkeys stay with the flock and keep
predators away 24/7. Farmers who use flock
guardians have much lower stock loss rates
all year round than those that use 1080.
Flock guardians such as Maremmas could
be released with a small group of sheep into
areas containing protected
species. The theory is that
the Maremma, in protecting
‘his’ sheep, will keep foxes
and wild dogs away thus
inadvertently also protecting
the local native wildlife.
If poison use is
necessary, there are ‘kinder,
faster acting’ options
available, such as PAP, that
also offer an opportunity to
save an animal should it
accidentally take a bait –
something which is not
possible with 1080.
1080 use raises a serious question of what
animal welfare notions we have in this
country for animals that are considered to be
pests. I am no fonder of foxes than anyone
else who has lost dozens of beloved chickens
(or seen the massacred bodies of lambs and
sheep left behind by wild dogs).
But, let’s not forget foxes did not ask to
come to Australia – their presence in
Australia is ‘man-made’ and if they need to
be controlled with poisons than it should be
a quick and efficient death, not dying in
agony over several days. It is time that
Australia catches up with the rest of the world
and bans 1080.
Additional information on what to do if
your pet has taken a bait (from the Mudgee
Veterinary Hospital website):
Emergency action must be taken when
you suspect poisoning. Make the dog vomit
immediately by placing 1–2 crystals of
washing soda down the dog’s throat or try
half a teaspoon salt thrown on the back of
the dog’s tongue. Once you have made the
dog vomit, take him to the vet immediately.
Phone your vet to warn them you are
coming and the nature of your problem and
do not waste time in getting to the hospital.
At the hospital the seizures can be controlled
and treatment given to encourage your dog’s
body to get rid of the poison. Treatment can
take several days but can be successful.
To protect your dog, keep him controlled
on the property at all times.
According to Wikipedia, sodium monofluoroacetate or 1080 is a naturally occurring
anti-herbivore metabolite of some plants. The
only company now producing 1080 is the Tull
Chemical Company in Alabama USA, which
exports the material to Mexico and Israel (as
a rodenticide), Australia (where it’s used to
kill dingoes, wild dogs and foxes) and New
Zealand (for possum eradication). 1080 use
in the US is tightly controlled, and it may only
be used in chemical collars on domestic
herbivores, to kill coyotes.
In south-west Western Australia (where
fluoroacetic acid-containing Gastrolobium
plants grow), brush-tailed possums, bush rats
and western grey kangaroos native to the
region are capable of safely eating plants
containing fluoroacetate, but livestock and
introduced species from elsewhere in
Australia are highly-susceptible to the poison,
as are species introduced from outside
Australia, such as the red fox.
The Wiki site says insects are also also highly
susceptible. Native herbivores including
kangaroos and wallabies have also been
targeted with 1080 in Australia, and bird kills
have been recorded in New Zealand as forests
are baited to eradicate possums.
