Theresa Stubbs said her backyard and others in Rossmoor had become infested with rats. That is why she called Orange County Vector Control and asked them to come out and see what could be done.
They placed baited rat poison around her property on Wednesday, July 24.
Stubbs said she was told that only rats would be able to get at the bait. However, Stubbs said she was shocked on Friday to notice Rico, the smallest of her dogs, with a piece of poison rat bait in its mouth. It had apparently been broken off by a rat and fell where the dog was attracted to it as something to eat.
Stubbs brought the dog to Los Alamitos Animal Hospital where veterinarian Claudia Horvath treated it.
“Fortunately for this dog, the owner was home and saw him eat the bait,” Horvath said. “She brought him in immediately. We were able to make him vomit to rid him of the toxin and we put both he and her other pet on Vitamin K1, which is the antidote to this poison.”
Horvath said she is concerned for pets and children that could potentially ingest the toxin.
“If the owners or parents are not aware of it, it is potentially fatal to the victim,” she said. “This bait is very palatable and dogs will eat it willingly like a treat if given the opportunity.”
Stubbs had Orange County Vector Control remove the rat bait around her home. However, her dog still had a problem related to it.
The dog found a rat that had apparently ingested the bait and was dying. She said the rat bit the dog and she had to bring the dog into the animal hospital again or rabies shots.
“I never would have let them put (rat poison) out if I had thought it could hurt one of my dogs,” she said.
According to Michael G. Hearst, district manager of Orange County Vector Control, the bait, which contains the toxin Bromadialone, is only used on private property, at the request of the homeowner who must sign a release before any bait is placed.
“They are required to sign a release in three places stating they are aware the bait is dangerous and potentially fatal to pets and people,” he said. “The danger associated with this product is stated no less than four times. We take the use of toxins very seriously.”
Stubbs said she thinks other pest animals like skunks, raccoons and coyotes have overrun Rossmoor due to school and other construction that has displaced them to seek new homes. She said she does not think rat poison is the answer.
Hearst said Vector Control’s default position is to not place the bait.
“A visit by an OCVCD inspector is the result of request by a homeowner reporting a problem,” Hearst said. “It has been shown time and time again the only way to eliminate rats is to eliminate that what is attracting them.”
According to Hearst, any individuals removed from a population by poison or trapping are quickly replaced.
“The population in a given area remains quite constant unless steps are taken to reduce the availability of food, shelter, and water,” he said. “By the same token, should something happen that introduces a number of rats to an area, a building razed or a freeway landscape removed, the newcomers will not survive; the available resources are spoken for.”
Hearst said Vector Control encourages people to take the appropriate steps to reduce the resources available to rats and seal their homes prior to our placing of any bait.
“That doesn’t always happen, but the release is always signed,” he said.
Theresa Stubbs said her backyard and others in Rossmoor had become infested with rats. That is why she called Orange County Vector Control and asked them to come out and see what could be done.
They placed baited rat poison around her property on Wednesday, July 24.
Stubbs said she was told that only rats would be able to get at the bait. However, Stubbs said she was shocked on Friday to notice Rico, the smallest of her dogs, with a piece of poison rat bait in its mouth. It had apparently been broken off by a rat and fell where the dog was attracted to it as something to eat.
Stubbs brought the dog to Los Alamitos Animal Hospital where veterinarian Claudia Horvath treated it.
“Fortunately for this dog, the owner was home and saw him eat the bait,” Horvath said. “She brought him in immediately. We were able to make him vomit to rid him of the toxin and we put both he and her other pet on Vitamin K1, which is the antidote to this poison.”
Horvath said she is concerned for pets and children that could potentially ingest the toxin.
“If the owners or parents are not aware of it, it is potentially fatal to the victim,” she said. “This bait is very palatable and dogs will eat it willingly like a treat if given the opportunity.”
Stubbs had Orange County Vector Control remove the rat bait around her home. However, her dog still had a problem related to it.
The dog found a rat that had apparently ingested the bait and was dying. She said the rat bit the dog and she had to bring the dog into the animal hospital again or rabies shots.
“I never would have let them put (rat poison) out if I had thought it could hurt one of my dogs,” she said.
According to Michael G. Hearst, district manager of Orange County Vector Control, the bait, which contains the toxin Bromadialone, is only used on private property, at the request of the homeowner who must sign a release before any bait is placed.
“They are required to sign a release in three places stating they are aware the bait is dangerous and potentially fatal to pets and people,” he said. “The danger associated with this product is stated no less than four times. We take the use of toxins very seriously.”
Stubbs said she thinks other pest animals like skunks, raccoons and coyotes have overrun Rossmoor due to school and other construction that has displaced them to seek new homes. She said she does not think rat poison is the answer.
Hearst said Vector Control’s default position is to not place the bait.
“A visit by an OCVCD inspector is the result of request by a homeowner reporting a problem,” Hearst said. “It has been shown time and time again the only way to eliminate rats is to eliminate that what is attracting them.”
According to Hearst, any individuals removed from a population by poison or trapping are quickly replaced.
“The population in a given area remains quite constant unless steps are taken to reduce the availability of food, shelter, and water,” he said. “By the same token, should something happen that introduces a number of rats to an area, a building razed or a freeway landscape removed, the newcomers will not survive; the available resources are spoken for.”
Hearst said Vector Control encourages people to take the appropriate steps to reduce the resources available to rats and seal their homes prior to our placing of any bait.
“That doesn’t always happen, but the release is always signed,” he said.
