Ban the use of 1080 poison

Last week (3rd June 2015) our Labrador/golden retriever, Dexter, died in the most hideous and cruel fashion. He ate 1080 bait that was put out by the Department of Agriculture in the Sterling Forest, Capel Shire. The bait was intended to exterminate ferrel animals such as wild cats, foxes and the like. Dexter escaped from our property and unwittingly consumed some bait in the forest.

Dexter "belonged" to my son Liam and it was in his arms he finally died, writhing and screaming and shaking uncontrollably as we rushed in horror and fear to find a vet at 3:00 am in the morning. Dexter screamed for us to help him, but we could do nothing to ease his suffering or save his life. He died an agonising death and those images, feelings of helplessness and torment will stay with my son and our family forever.

The suffering of this beautiful animal brought home to us exactly how inhumane the method of baiting is. It does not matter if the victim is a domestic pet, a wild fox or cat, no animal should be made to suffer such an insidious and ghastly fate.

We cannot do this to animals - it is not right and it is very un-Australian. Ferrel animals let loose in Australia is a man-made problem and we need to attend to that problem in a responsible and humane way. Not the lazy, cheap way.

We need to ensure that we protect the indigenous species too as this poison is indiscriminate and it is common that even herbivores have consumed and perished in such an evil and heartless fashion.

Pleases sign this petition to ban 1080 baiting in Australia, starting with Capel Shire.