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Veterinary pathologist David Obendorf also has criticised the baiting so close to suburbs.
“It beggars belief. I am surprised they are continuing to do this ridiculous baiting program without any evidence of foxes out there,” Dr Obendorf said.
He said dogs were highly susceptible to 1080 baits and any dogs that ate them would die within four hours.
Native animals were also at risk, despite government assurances, with species that liked to dig, such as quolls, bettongs, bandicoots and potoroos, in the most danger.
Dr Obendorf said there was evidence dogs had died as a result of the eradication program in the state’s North.
He said 1080 poisoning was a horrible way for an animal to die, with metabolic changes starving cells of oxygen.
He said owners with poisoned dogs might notice hyperactive and wild behaviour, such as crashing into things or sudden stumbling.
Owners should seek immediate veterinary help.
Tolmans Hill resident Toni Hurford said she was alarmed when she received a letter from the Fox Eradication Program to say baiting would take place over her back fence.
“It’s very scary, I’ve got two cats and a dog that are at risk,” she said.
…
• … As annual wallaby cull draws criticism
Tasmania’s Parks and Wildlife Service has begun its annual cull of wallabies and kangaroos on Maria Island, off the state’s east coast.
They say the cull in the national park aims to prevent problems from overpopulation.
About 650 animals will be shot between now and Sunday, mostly forester kangaroos, bennetts wallabies and tasmanian pademelons.
Parks’ southern manager Ashley Rushton says without the cull, animal numbers would increase by about 30 per cent by the end of the year.
But Nikki Sutterby from the Australian Society for Kangaroos says shooting the animals is unnecessary.
“Nearly 12 months ago, the Australian Society for Kangaroos offered a full team of experts to come down there and carry out a large scale vasectimisation program on the male wallabies and kangaroos on the island, but they have failed to take us up on it,” she said.
“They have taken the cruel, cheap and quick option of shooting again.”
