Rat Poison

This is an appeal to owners of rat poison.

If at all possible, please try to find another way to deal with rats, gophers, and other rodents. Rat poison contains strychnine, which has been sweetened to get the gophers to eat it. This same sweet taste attracts children and pets as well, with tragic results. Even when used properly, cats and dogs will eat the poisoned rodents.

Our German shepherd was killed by this substance. Siegfried loved people very much and was full of the joy of life. He would always let the children at our school pet him when I took him for walks, and was always very gentle with Billy, my 3-year-old nephew.

Recently we saw him suddenly jump up from his sleep and go into convulsions. He was on his back with his legs frozen, pointing directly upward. We immediately called the vet, but by the time one was on the line, Siegfried was dead. We took him down to the clinic where they determined that he had died from strychnine poisoning. The anguish of not knowing whether he found some laying around or was given some by a very cruel, sick mind is unbearable.

ROBERT TREAT

El Cajon