VFTA Blog

California is now the first state to ban highly toxic rat poisons that have been responsible for a number of wildlife poisonings.  “Rodenticides are deadly for California’s mountain lions and other precious wildlife across the state,” Governor Gavin Newsom said.

The underregulated use of these toxic chemicals allowed them to work their way through the food chain. When the poison is ingested by a rat, that rat may be alive for several more days during which time it is likely to be hunted by predators. Owls and coyotes that prey on these rats now have the poisons in their systems. When these sick animals are eaten by even larger predators like the endangered bobcat, they can be lethally toxic...

That live animals are routinely shipped through the post office. That most of these animals starve to death or suffocate, left for days at a time in mail processing centers. 

Here are the facts:

• During just the past few weeks in Maine, over 4,800 chicks have died in shipping.

• Millions of pounds of live chickens and turkeys are mailed each year but the USPS won’t give specific data.....

That live animals are routinely shipped through the post office. That most of these animals starve to death or suffocate, left for days at a time in mail processing centers. 

Here are the facts:

• During just the past few weeks in Maine, over 4,800 chicks have died in shipping.

• Millions of pounds of live chickens and turkeys are mailed each year but the USPS won’t give specific data.

• Adult birds can be shipped if they weigh between 6 ounces and 25 pounds (25 pounds is about the size of a pelican)...

Hunters have long argued that their trophy kills promote species conservation but those claims don’t stand up to the evidence. You cannot conserve a species by killing it. A congressional report even found that trophy hunting contributes to the extinction of species.

Poaching remains the largest threat to these animals but according to National Geographic, “Trophy hunting isn’t stopping poaching, especially in countries that have a poor record of protecting their wildlife.” 

A recent Synovate eNation poll featured in CNN showed that a vast majority of Americans, 70.4%, would pay to see lions on safari while only 6.6% would actually pay to hunt one. Another poll from IFAW found that over 80% of Americans would support a ban on lion and elephant trophies altogether...