FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 9, 2021
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Bill to Ban Deadly ‘Cyanide Bombs’ on Public Lands Introduced by Rep. Peter DeFazio
EUGENE, OR — A bill introduced August 6, 2021 by Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Oreg.) seeks to ban the use of wildlife-killing
M-44 devices, commonly known as ‘‘cyanide bombs,’’ on federal public lands. These deadly devices — spring-loaded capsules armed with cyanide spray — have injured people and inhumanely killed thousands of animals every year.
“Working closely with M-44 victims for almost 30 years, I have witnessed what these indiscriminate devices have done to families,” said Brooks Fahy, executive director of Predator Defense, a national wildlife advocacy group. “Countless people have lost beloved pets, and both children and adults have been poisoned. The emotional scars are permanent. Since M-44s can never be used safely, they must be banned. A federal public lands ban is a great start.”
The bill,
H.R. 4951 (aka “Canyon’s Law"), was first introduced in 2017 following a string of tragic incidents involving M-44s. Canyon Mansfield of Pocatello, Idaho, was 14 years old when he accidentally set off an M-44 while walking his dog on a hill near his home. His dog died within minutes and he suffered from both poisoning and the traumatic aftermath.
“Cyanide traps are indiscriminate killers and have caused too much harm to remain in use on our public lands,” said Collette Adkins, carnivore conservation program director at the Center for Biological Diversity. “Congress must pass this bill to protect people, pets and imperiled wildlife from this poison.”
In late 2019, the Trump administration announced it would reauthorize the use of sodium cyanide in M-44s despite overwhelming public support for a nationwide ban. The Environmental Protection Agency allows use of the devices by Wildlife Services, the animal-killing program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The EPA also authorizes M-44 use by state agencies in South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, New Mexico and Texas.
“Wildlife Services’ refusal to end the use of M-44 sodium cyanide devices shows both an unwillingness to transition away from archaic lethal methods, as well as a cruel indifference to the threats posed to people, pets, and wildlife,” said Cathy Liss, president of the Animal Welfare Institute. “These dangerous devices have no place on America’s public lands. We urge Congress to stand up to Wildlife Services and end the use of this antiquated, inhumane method.”
“M-44 ‘cyanide bombs’ have caused immense and unnecessary suffering across our nation’s public lands, harming people, pets and wildlife,” said Carson Barylak, Campaigns Manager at the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW). “Canyon courageously took up the fight to ban these devices after experiencing their devastating impacts firsthand, and leaders in Congress must now ensure that this important public safety bill becomes law.”
According to Wildlife Services’ own data, the program poisoned 7,691 animals in 2020 using M-44 cyanide bombs. More than 200 of these animals were killed unintentionally, including a black bear, five dogs and dozens of foxes. The program’s use of M-44s has declined slightly since 2019, when it used M-44s to kill 8,200 animals.
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Predator Defense is a national nonprofit advocacy organization devoted to protecting essential native predators, helping people learn to coexist with wild animals, and ending America's war on wildlife. We have been championing native predators with science, sanity, and heart since 1990.
The Center for Biological Diversity is a national, nonprofit conservation organization with more than 1.7 million members and online activists dedicated to the protection of endangered species and wild places.
The Animal Welfare Institute is a nonprofit charitable organization founded in 1951 and dedicated to reducing animal suffering caused by people. AWI engages policymakers, scientists, industry, and the public to achieve better treatment of animals everywhere—in the laboratory, on the farm, in commerce, at home, and in the wild. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for updates and other important animal protection news.
