Wild Dog Baiting Program In Noosa

[Guest lavendergirl]

Ironically this article appeared next to another story about eradicating cane toads - with assurances that the cane toads would be "humanely euthanased"

"Poison-baiting program targeting wild dogs on Noosa's North Shore splits community

by: Peter Hall, Sunshine Coast bureau chief From: The Courier-Mail October 08, 2011 4:00AM

A POISON-baiting program targeting wild dogs on Noosa's ecologically sensitive North Shore has split the tiny hamlet.

A Sunshine Coast Council sign went up yesterday warning a "1080 Baiting Program" had begun to kill wild dogs seen roaming the area.

While most locals understand the large feral cross-breed animals are a threat to wildlife, pets and potentially campers, the community is polarised by the use of a poison known to be "a slow killer".

There has been lingering debate about the humaneness of 1080, first used against rabbits in Tasmania in 1952 and now widely used in Australia and New Zealand to control pests.

Fisherman Terry Green said he was outraged at the "extreme measure".

"Animals die slowly in the most ghastly way because of this poison. I have seen what it does to them and it's horrifying," he said.

A resident, who did not want to be named, said it was "torture" and as an animal lover, she was furious to learn of the program."

[Mags]

The issue I have with 1080 programs is they aren't target specific.

And as for humane killing the most humane way of disposing of ferals I know is with a rifle in the hands of a skilled person however many people do not like that idea either and it is becoming harder and harder to find people that are prepared to do the job this way because of the adverse press that it gets. Doggers use to make a good living though it was a hard life but think of the out cry if people started trapping again. Much easier and cheaper to throw baits out and kill all and sundry.

Really do not know what people expect - they don't want ferals running around killing things but they don't want to do anything about it either. And its not like the population of ferals is finite idiots continue to add to it with their dumping of unwanted pets and allowing their pets to wander.

[Ripley]

Our council uses 1080 programs to bait foxes. There are signs up in the area now about one in early October. They bury them so the foxes dig them up. Friends used to live up that way and said the wild dog problem was a huge problem.

[Weasels]

It's my understanding that although a 1080 poisoning is very unpleasant to watch, the animal actually loses consciousness early in the process so the suffering is less than it may appear.

There is a new poison in development (PAPP) which acts faster and is more humane, plus it has an antidote if a pet/working dog gets one. It's a very long process to get it approved though.

The target-specificity has more to do with the delivery system. The 1080 is put into meat so the main animals of concern to take baits are quolls and birds of prey. Several studies have shown that baiting has no noticable affect on quoll populations, the main concern with birds is them moving them around so the bait may end up outside of the designated (and signposted) baiting area. Burying fox baits is a good way to reduce non-taget bait takes.

Shooting is a more humane solution, but dogs are difficult to sight and it's not sufficient to really tackle the problem. Trapping can get more dogs but it's a time-consuming process that requires a skilled individual to do a good job. Rightly or wrongly, our wild dog control in this country relies heavily on baiting.

[GeckoTree]

Sandy Region Soul of Cooloola Posted at 11:33 AM Today

1080 is responsible for the severe depletion of goanna populations at the southern end of Teewah Beach - though for some reason there is a perception that native animals don't take 1080 baits. The dogs have wised up to traps which leaves shooting (which currently occurs and is privately funded) as the only method of control available. And controlled they must be as there are a lot of feral dogs here that are largely sired by one german shepherd that all locals are well aware of. Native wallabies, grey kangaroos, ground dwelling birds, ghost crabs etc are the main prey of the dogs.

[Trisven13]

I don't know what bait it is that they're using around our way in the National Park but apparently it shoots down their throat and will kill them within 5 minutes. Sounds much more humane.

[Weasels]

I don't know what bait it is that they're using around our way in the National Park but apparently it shoots down their throat and will kill them within 5 minutes. Sounds much more humane.

Sounds like cyanide in an M44 ejector. They configure the ejector so that dogs and foxes are the only animals with the jaw strength to pull at the device enough to release the squirt of cyanide. It's a good system (as much as any of them are)

[Rozzie]

It's my understanding that although a 1080 poisoning is very unpleasant to watch, the animal actually loses consciousness early in the process so the suffering is less than it may appear.

There is a new poison in development (PAPP) which acts faster and is more humane, plus it has an antidote if a pet/working dog gets one. It's a very long process to get it approved though.

The target-specificity has more to do with the delivery system. The 1080 is put into meat so the main animals of concern to take baits are quolls and birds of prey. Several studies have shown that baiting has no noticable affect on quoll populations, the main concern with birds is them moving them around so the bait may end up outside of the designated (and signposted) baiting area. Burying fox baits is a good way to reduce non-taget bait takes.

Shooting is a more humane solution, but dogs are difficult to sight and it's not sufficient to really tackle the problem. Trapping can get more dogs but it's a time-consuming process that requires a skilled individual to do a good job. Rightly or wrongly, our wild dog control in this country relies heavily on baiting.

Not in my experience. I lost three dogs. They had picked up poisoned meat where a bird of prey had dropped it at our dam. They used to go for a swim every morning. There was no loss of consciousness. This is what they suffered:

"…restlessness; increased hyperexcitability; incontinence or diarrhea; excessive salivation; abrupt bouts of vocalization; and finally sudden bursts of violent activity. All affected animals then fall to the ground in teranic seizure, with hind limbs or all four limbs and sometimes the tail extended rigidly from their arched bodies.

The only one we actually witnessed fall to the ground was the old Kelpie. I have no idea where my young Kelpie or my Cattle dog ended up, their 'violent activity' saw them run. And run fast. We couldn't find them.

It's a cruel way to die.

http://www.wlpa.org/1080_poison.htm

[Trisven13]

I don't know what bait it is that they're using around our way in the National Park but apparently it shoots down their throat and will kill them within 5 minutes. Sounds much more humane.

Sounds like cyanide in an M44 ejector. They configure the ejector so that dogs and foxes are the only animals with the jaw strength to pull at the device enough to release the squirt of cyanide. It's a good system (as much as any of them are)

Oh okay. My neighbour is a real greenie - she knows all the cool places to go in the National Park and can identify every flower/plant up there (she is GREAT fun to go up there with as you can imagine). She normally (with the permission of the local ranger of course) takes her dog with her everywhere but Sally can't go up there with her anymore because of the baits.

[Maxiewolf]

Afraid to take my dog to the north shore now, the laying of these baits has been known to be done RIGHT on peoples boundaries. The sign tells people to keep their pets contained while the program is in affect. Thats okay provided a wild animal doesn't move the bait in the first place, its not species specific... so one thing eats it .. like a native rat for example.. then it goes on from there.

And the "wild dogs" on the north shore are hardly a threat to anything... there's nothing big enough over there to kill anything. Its not because of the "wildlife" damage, its because of the 'graziers' and peoples fear the wild dogs will harm their children. But due to unpleasant events in the past when the residents complained about it... noone who lives over there and is agaisnt it is willing to speak up.

bad bad all round. I dont live over there but spend a bit of time there and am not happy about it.

[Weasels]

Not in my experience. I lost three dogs. They had picked up poisoned meat where a bird of prey had dropped it at our dam. They used to go for a swim every morning. There was no loss of consciousness. This is what they suffered:

"…restlessness; increased hyperexcitability; incontinence or diarrhea; excessive salivation; abrupt bouts of vocalization; and finally sudden bursts of violent activity. All affected animals then fall to the ground in teranic seizure, with hind limbs or all four limbs and sometimes the tail extended rigidly from their arched bodies.

The only one we actually witnessed fall to the ground was the old Kelpie. I have no idea where my young Kelpie or my Cattle dog ended up, their 'violent activity' saw them run. And run fast. We couldn't find them.

It's a cruel way to die.

http://www.wlpa.org/1080_poison.htm

Ok, That was just what I was told in a seminar at a science conference. I have no personal knowledge or observation so I'm fully prepared to admit it might be wrong.

Sorry about your dogs The people that work on these things know baiting isn't the best solution which is why they are researching alternatives like maremmas/guard llamas/guard donkeys, behavioural regulation by encouraging pack structure, and other bait types/ delivery methods.

[Rozzie]

That was from a NPWS baiting. The mines around here do it as well. We don't have problems with ferals because we DO have alpaca and a donkey. It was the poor unfortunate eagle I also felt for. I was really peed off because MY dogs were on MY property and they suffered horrendous deaths.

[Mags]

Rozzie really sorry to hear what happened to your dogs and the eagle.

Edited October 8, 2011 by Mags

[Alyosha]

Sounds like a nicety you were told Weasels - unfortunately. I've seen animals very much conscious through dreadful suffering with 1080.

Maxiewolf the DPI should control the use of the baiting program. In other states there is a legal minimum of 50m for any bait to be laid from a boundary. So if it is near people's fences they should be complaining to the DPI.

1080 is very heavily restricted and it's use is legislated at a Commonwealth as well as a State level to minimise non-target baiting and injury to domestic animals. Any and all concerns should be raised with DPI, as only through maximum public information will the standards be strictly adhered to, and any official reviews of the product be most effective.

[german_shep_fan]

It's my understanding that although a 1080 poisoning is very unpleasant to watch, the animal actually loses consciousness early in the process so the suffering is less than it may appear.

There is a new poison in development (PAPP) which acts faster and is more humane, plus it has an antidote if a pet/working dog gets one. It's a very long process to get it approved though.

The target-specificity has more to do with the delivery system. The 1080 is put into meat so the main animals of concern to take baits are quolls and birds of prey. Several studies have shown that baiting has no noticable affect on quoll populations, the main concern with birds is them moving them around so the bait may end up outside of the designated (and signposted) baiting area. Burying fox baits is a good way to reduce non-taget bait takes.

Shooting is a more humane solution, but dogs are difficult to sight and it's not sufficient to really tackle the problem. Trapping can get more dogs but it's a time-consuming process that requires a skilled individual to do a good job. Rightly or wrongly, our wild dog control in this country relies heavily on baiting.

Not in my experience. I lost three dogs. They had picked up poisoned meat where a bird of prey had dropped it at our dam. They used to go for a swim every morning. There was no loss of consciousness. This is what they suffered:

"…restlessness; increased hyperexcitability; incontinence or diarrhea; excessive salivation; abrupt bouts of vocalization; and finally sudden bursts of violent activity. All affected animals then fall to the ground in teranic seizure, with hind limbs or all four limbs and sometimes the tail extended rigidly from their arched bodies.

The only one we actually witnessed fall to the ground was the old Kelpie. I have no idea where my young Kelpie or my Cattle dog ended up, their 'violent activity' saw them run. And run fast. We couldn't find them.

It's a cruel way to die.

http://www.wlpa.org/1080_poison.htm

Im so sorry that happened

I will not support anything that is inhumane and from what others have said here this program is very inhumane!

[Keira&Phoenix]

This is so concerning. I hope no ones dogs accidentally get loose and eat these baits. Not to mention the wildlife.

In general this is a cruel cruel way for any animal to die. As dog lovers/animal lovers we should be speaking out against this and trying to stop it from happening.

Rozzie I am so so sorry about your dogs that is just horrendous. I wouldn't know what to do if that was one of mine.