Do you know what a M44 Cyanide trap is?

Do you know what a M44 Cyanide trap is?

I didn’t until I read the article about the dog in Idaho that was killed by biting into one.  Apparently, more and more dogs are being killed by these traps.   These were created to eliminate animals such as coyotes and foxes.  These are capsules filled with sodium cyanide.  The traps are scented to attract animals, once bitten and pulled off it emits the cyanide into the animals mouth causing a deadly reaction. Cyanides are fast-acting poisons that can be lethal and ingestion will have a dramatic, rapid onset, immediately affecting the heart and causing sudden collapse.

Sadly, more and more dogs are being killed by these cyanide traps.   You can read about the most recent incident by clicking here

I can’t for the life of me believe that these cyanide traps exist.  They almost look like lawn sprinklers or spickets.  These devices don’t discriminate causing so many unintentional victims.  I’m sure many people are unaware of these traps and wouldn’t even know that their beloved dog was sniffing at one.

Below is a photo of what one looks like.  Who could ever imagine that something like that could contain cyanide in it.

Please take a look at this site called Predator Defense.  They are working on trying to eliminate these and have up to date information.  If you would like to donate to them or read more about their mission click here

What are your thoughts on these cyanide traps? Should they be removed?