Alyssa Giaquinto, a licensed wildlife rehabilitator, with Bella the Barn Owl. Photo: Jay Willett/WBZ NewsRadio
BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — Advocates including Mass. Audubon and MSPCA-Angell were at the Massachusetts Statehouse Thursday supporting legislation to phase out the use of rat poisons that kill birds of prey including hawks and owls.
While the poison is very effective at killing rodents like rats and mice, it also sickens and kills the birds that eat the poisoned rodents.
Representative James Hawkins and Senator Michael Moore are the sponsors behind the legislation to restrict the use of second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides (SGARs), commonly known as rat poison, starting January 1, 2027.
The bill says the SGARs need to be phased out due to their harmful impact on wildlife and ecosystems.
Birds of prey and their handlers were at the statehouse Thursday making their case in support of the legislation. "It just goes to show that we are their (birds of prey's) biggest predators," said Alyssa Giaquinto, a licensed wildlife rehabilitator out of Marlboro. "We're poisoning their food, we're starving them, and most of these barn owls don't make it past their first year of life."
Giaquinto brought Bella the Barn Owl with her to the event.
Heather Packard, Mass. Audubon Community Organizer, said the impact of the poison when ingested is significant. "It will stay in the body of animals that eat it for up to 10 months," she said.
Mass. Audubon added that we use 500,000 pounds of this kind of rodenticide every year.
Senator Moore said while efforts are underway to pass legislation at the state level, communities have already passed similar laws. "35 communities have already passed this language on the local level," he said.
Moore added that there are alternatives to SGARs that are non-toxic.
WBZ NewsRadio's Jay Willett (@JayWillettWBZ) reports.