Avoid rodenticide bait near homes with pets

What to Do

Avoid using rodenticide (rat poison) bait stations near homes with cats, dogs, or children. If rodenticides are used at all, choose first-generation anticoagulants in tamper-resistant bait stations and place them where pets and children cannot access them.

Why It Works

Secondary poisoning is a serious and well-documented risk. The University of New Hampshire found that 34 of 35 wild animals necropsied had been exposed to rodenticides — hawks, owls, foxes, and domestic pets eat poisoned rodents and are poisoned in turn. Second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides (SGARs) are particularly dangerous because they bioaccumulate in rodent tissue.

Tips

• A poisoned rodent that dies in an inaccessible wall void creates a severe odor problem for weeks
• Trapping plus exclusion is safer and more effective for most home situations
• The EPA and ASPCA both warn about secondary poisoning risks to pets and wildlife
• If you must use rodenticides, never use loose pellets — always use tamper-resistant stations