Thanks to you we are at the finish line for banning rodenticides in California! Your calls, emails and letters have made all the difference. But we need your help for one final push!
AB 1788, the California Ecosystems Protection Act that places a moratorium on the use of second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides (SGARs), passed the State Senate by a vote of 23-7 on the last day of the legislative session. The bill was given concurrence by the State Assembly with a vote of 46-11—less than two hours before the midnight deadline.
Governor Newsom has 30 days to sign AB 1788 into law.
AB 1788 places a statewide moratorium on SGARs until the Department of Pesticide Regulation finishes its evaluation of their use and the Department of Fish and Wildlife determines that they will not result in significant adverse effects to non-target wildlife. These poisons are widespread and are devastating local animal populations. One meta-analysis of 11 studies found that more than 85% of California mountain lions, bobcats and Pacific fishers have been exposed to anticoagulant rodenticides.
You’ve helped us make it this far ~ please contact Governor Newsom TODAY and urge him to sign AB 1788 into law!
- FIRST, please email the Governor at Leg.Unit@gov.ca.gov. You may simply write, “I urge Governor Newsom to sign AB 1788 into law. This legislation places a moratorium on deadly poisons, prevents ecological destruction and protects wild animals from suffering cruel and unnecessary deaths.” You can also personalize your message—additional talking points below.
- NEXT, please call Governor Newsom’s office at (916) 445-2841, using the language and talking points suggested for emails. (The phone lines are extremely busy and you may have trouble getting through.)
- FOLLOW UP your phone call and email with letters to the editors of your local newspapers urging the Governor to sign this legislation into law. Here are some tips for LTEs, and below are suggested talking points to incorporate into your letter.
Talking Points:
- Rodenticides have widespread and detrimental impacts on the very species that help regulate rodent populations, including bobcats, coyotes, foxes, hawks, eagles, and owls. Rodenticides are counterproductive to long-term pest management solutions for rodent control because they destroy the health of California’s ecosystems by indiscriminately poisoning, harming and killing native wildlife that eat poisoned rodents.
- Data demonstrate that more than 80 percent of native carnivore species—including bobcats, coyotes, foxes and cougars, spotted owls, Pacific fishers, and other endangered animals—have been exposed to these poisons. In March, a mountain lion who died in the wilderness west of Los Angeles had six compounds of a rat poison in his system. Rodenticides can cause a slow, agonizing death for the animals who ingest them and can weaken their immune systems, making them vulnerable to mange and other diseases.
- In addition to harming wildlife, anticoagulant rodenticides pose a dangerous risk to children who may accidentally ingest these highly toxic poisons. Between 1999 and 2009, the American Association of Poison Control Centers received reports of an average of 17,000 human exposures to rodenticides each year, and roughly 15,000 of those exposures occurred in children less than six years of age.
- Rodenticides are one of the top ten pet toxins.
- At least 29 jurisdictions in California have passed resolutions discouraging stores from selling rodenticides.
- There are more humane, safer alternatives to deadly rat poison, including sealing buildings and eliminating food attractants, repellents and sterilization techniques.
Thank you for speaking up for California’s wildlife!
For Compassionate Coexistence,
Camilla H. Fox
Founder & Executive Director