Rat Poison Around the Freising Small Animal House: Between Animal Welfare and Pest Control
The Freising Small Animal House is facing a difficult situation, compounded by the presence of rat poison boxes near its property.Conditions within the existing facility are “not portable for a long time,” according to Melanie Schönberger, head of the Small Animal house, as everything is “old, too small and is unsuitable for the purposes.” While construction of a new building has begun, Schönberger and her team are increasingly distressed by finding animals still suffering, potentially due to exposure to the nearby rat poison.
The issue centers around poison bait boxes placed by the city near the recycling center adjacent to the Small Animal House property. Schönberger notes the boxes, while currently not actively baited, are positioned directly next to the property line. She expressed concern that the city did not provide warning signs on their side, despite the presence of the boxes year-round. “Better communication would have been nice,” she added.
When questioned about alternatives to rat poison, Schönberger explained that striking traps are ofen ineffective as animals learn to avoid them, and rats are developing resistance to weaker poisons. She described castration as a control method as “entirely utopian.” Her primary focus now is securing funding to complete the new Small Animal House at the animal shelter location in Mintraching.
Currently, approximately €2700 has been raised towards the €400,000 still needed to finish the project. Schönberger hopes for a large donation, offering to name the new facility after a critically important benefactor. Donations can be made at https://www.betterplace.org/de/projects/137544-ein-neues-kleintierhaus-fuer-den-tierschutzverein-freising-e-v. “We have to go here, it is indeed no longer possible for many reasons,” Schönberger stated.
The city defends its use of rat poison, explaining through a representative for public security and order that a “strong rat infestation” prompted the deployment of Top Tox rat bait boxes, which continue to be equipped with poison, at the recycling center. This action was taken to protect recycling center staff and ensure public safety. The city asserts that all boxes are marked with a red sticker indicating “poison bait box,” and that the tunnel-like design of the boxes largely prevents access by humans and other animals, making them “largely harmless.” They believe this identification is sufficient.
