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Despite a letter-writing campaign that included over 20,000 letters to the Environmental Protection Agency, one family from Idaho suing the government, and countless wildlife protection agencies protesting, the EPA has recently reauthorized the used of M-44 devices.
An M-44 device, also known as a ‘cyanide bomb’ in some circles, is something that Wildlife Services uses in the wilderness to ‘protect livestock’ from invasive and dangerous wild animals, including wolves and coyotes.
One family in Idaho is suing after an M-44 that they did not know was near their home was accidentally set off by their teenage son. Their family pet didn’t make it as a result, and their son had to be rushed to the hospital to be treated.
While he was ultimately fine, the family says that he still suffers from headaches a year later and it was irresponsible to put something so dangerous on their property without telling them.
Instead of outrightly banning these bombs, the EPA has made changes on how and where they can be used.
M-44’s must now be 100 feet from public roads or trails, down from the 50 feet previously, and there must be signs within 15 feet of the device stating that it is there. Previous regulation stated that a sign needed to be within 25 feet. Any residents living within a half-mile of any device must be notified that it is there.
The Center of Biological Diversity has released a statement saying that this is not enough and that the EPA needs to outright ban the “inhumane and indiscriminate” destroying of animals by these devices.
The statement also makes note that dogs, young children, and endangered animals cannot read the signs, so it doesn’t do them much good.
