A timely warning for those who enjoy the great outdoors has been issued by The Campaign against Accidental or Illegal Poisoning (CAIP), to look out for illegally poisoned wildlife.
"The countryside provides a range of healthy leisure activities, but occasionally pesticides are misused and we want countryside users to be alert to the hazards to pets and potential wildlife poisoning incidents," said campaign spokesman Mike Swan.
A particular hazard can be dogs picking up poisons directly or carcases of poisoned animals. Hence dog owners need to take special care.
Despite high profile prosecutions, there are occasional instances of accidental misuse or even deliberate abuse of pesticides killing pets or wildlife. CAIP provides information on how to identify and report any suspect incident to the Wildlife Incident Investigation Scheme via its hotline 0800 321600.
"Pesticides are strictly regulated and users are provided with detailed instructions. As a result the vast majority of treatments are made safely and legally.
For some rural pests, such as magpies and rats, pest control is achieved effectively by using traps," adds Dr Swan. "The new leaflet will help countryside users identify legal traps. Too often these traps are interfered with, despite being used correctly and legally."
