After her cat likely ingested rodenticide and died, a Squamish pet owner reminds residents that rat and mouse poisons have been banned in B.C.
Christen Young shared with The Squamish Chief that recently one of her cats, Marshmallow, was found dead after ingesting something toxic.
The four-year-old cat was healthy otherwise and the veterinarian said it was most likely from ingesting a poison, like a second-generation anticoagulant rodenticide (SGAR), or long-term exposure from eating poisoned rats or mice.
“I just wanted people to know that those kind of chemicals are super dangerous to pets,” said Young.
SGARs were actually highly restricted in use to only some essential services in B.C. starting in January 2023 to “reduce the risk of wildlife poisoning,” reads a provincial government release. Before that restriction, the government had banned them for 18 months also to protect wildlife.
The ingredients that are highly poisonous include brodifacoum, bromadiolone and difethialone.
Young thought it was likely that people in Squamish may not be aware of the ban or have leftover rodenticides in a shed that they have since forgotten about.
“It was surprising to me, I also didn't realize that they were fully banned,” she said.
If Squamish residents find out they have some of these rodenticides with those poisonous ingredients, they fortunately can dispose of them at the Squamish branch of Green For Life (GFL).
GFL can take a maximum 10-litre container or 24-ounce aerosol, and the poison must have the poison symbol (skull and cross bones), pest control product number and the word “domestic” on the label.
Young said they’re keeping a closer eye on their other cat, Mewmew, but ultimately thought it was a good reminder for residents to check that they don’t have these products at home.
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