This happened only last week during my last prospecting trip in WA.
This was a crying shame. 2 really good dogs, that never got let off thier leads, killed by 1080.
The caravan
park is no way to blame for this - let's get that straight for a start. The first dog, a Silky Terrier like
mine, picked up the bait "from somewhere" but the owner assured me that it was never off the lead in the
park. The 2nd dog died two days later. Again it was never off the lead in the 5 hours it was the
park. I saw it taken "for walkies" and I saw it tied up near it's owners van. It was never off it's lead.
These two dogs were camped within 30 metres of each other.
The theory is that "crows pick up the bait and decide they don't like it and drop it". I'm not sure I totally believe this but we did eventually find a dead crow just at the van
park gates. Hmmmmmmm,,,,,,,,,. The first dog got sick and died due to the initial bait and the second dog may have eaten what was left or ate the vomit from the first dog. Either way they both got "baited" within the van
park. Both on leads and both with thier respective owners. How sad and very unlucky can you be!
My little mate will have to get used to a muzzle next year. He ain't gonna like it but after seeing this lot with my own eyes I'm taking no chances.
There is no antidote for 1080 poison.
Do a Google search on it - very interesting stuff. Aerial baiting is common in W.A. and 1080 is the only legal poison allowed. Strychnine is only used on dog traps. 1080 is sodium flouroacetate. It takes very little 1080 to kill a dog. 0.06 mg per kilo of body weight. They put 6mg in each dried meat bait, so just a good lick is enough. My little mate would need only 0.5 mg to see him off.
You've been warned. DO NOT let 'em off the lead - ANYWHERE!!
What really bleep me off was the number of aboriginal dogs wandering all over town. No lead, full of disease and pestering everybody. But the bait got these 2 poor suckers.
Bilbo