Rat Poison Alert
Rat poison
A member of the Committee yesterday found a cube of rat poison on a post onsite. It was not the licenced poison available from the Roden Officer, as that is in the form of pellets.
For somebody to leave poison unprotected is totally unacceptable. All poison must be shielded from mammals and birds. That is why it must be in a bait box or a pipe as clearly set out in the leaflet about rat poison available to any member who wants to read it. If poison is set out in the correct, way only rats can access it and other wild life is protected.
You are entitled to buy your own poison, but unless you have a licence to do so, it will not be the fast-acting poison available to members from the Rodent Officer. Because it is fast acting, mammals and birds who might attack a live rat, are exposed to contacting secondary poisoning for a shorter period as the rat will be dead within 24 hours. Unlicenced poison takes up to 7 days to kill the rat.
On a different but related subject, the Committee agreed last night that although bonfires are not allowed between 1 April and 1 November, there is now an additional exception - not only for small barbecues, but also for the purpose for burning a dead rat, if you see one. Please be careful and use only waterproof gloves (marigolds) to handle it. An alternative to burning is to double-bag it and take it home and put in the appropriate waste disposal bin. Do not put it on the communal fire which is only lit rarely.
DC
Chairman
Rodent Officer
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