Should I ever poison a wild Miami animal?

If you’re wondering whether poisoning a household pest or nuisance Miami animal is a good idea, it’s not. Never poison a wild animal. There are various reasons for this, including the fact that it is inhumane, but poison has far-reaching consequences we do not always perceive.



A Florida rat problem, for instance, is something many people think can be solved by simply putting out rat poison to kill off the pesky creatures, there’s no telling what local animals might find the poison instead. Puppies and young children are especially at risk to such poisons, given they are wont to playing in dirt and are too young to know better. Though these occurrences are rare, children and domesticated animals have been known to die from exposure to irresponsibly placed and monitored poisons.

Monitoring poisons is another reason they are effective but unjustifiable. A poisoned Miami rat that has made its nest in your house may carry the poison back to its nest and kill its brood, but dead rats in the wall give off dead smells for up to two weeks. A dead rat smells rather like a dead corpse, naturally. Any description of the smell of the dead corpse is enough to deter the desire to have such a smell leaking from the walls of your home for weeks.

Other environmental consequences of poisons include contamination of ground water and water supply. Though humans have water treatment plants to prevent such poisons from affecting us much, plants and Florida animals do not. Contaminated groundwater leads to contaminated plants and animals that rely on the natural water table for sustenance. Poisons can destroy entire ecosystems and allow far too much risk in accidental poisoning of the wrong animal.

There are other means of poison that pose less risk to one’s surrounding environment and ecosystem, but there can be no question that killing a Miami animal using poison is inhumane and illegal. Pest control professionals may use poisons, but again, you may experience the smell of decaying corpses for weeks after a bombing.

Alternative options can easily be discussed with your local animal control professional who may have advice on how to rid your property of certain wild Florida animals without the need to euthanize them. For larger wild animals like raccoons or possums, simple at-home measures can be taken to prevent them from taking residence in or around your house, like putting up wire mesh around the house’s foundation, taking your trash out the morning of trash day, keeping your pet’s food inside, keeping your house clean inside and out, and regularly investigating fences or preventative barriers for holes or potential entry points.

If you are experiencing an emergency related to Miami animal poisoning or suspect someone may be using animal poisons irresponsibly, the ASPCA or the Humane Society are good resources to reach out to. Signs of irresponsible placement of animal poisons are an unusual number of dead wild animals in your town or near your house. If you own a domesticated animal and it is experiencing alarming symptoms, do not try to diagnose them yourself. Call a veterinarian

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