The US government has approved the continued use of “cyanide bombs” to kill wild animals.
The US government has approved the continued use of “cyanide bombs” to kill pests such as coyotes, foxes and dogs that live in the wild in America.
The Trump administration approved the decision, despite thousands of objections to the M-44 devices.
They work by drawing animals with bait then spraying poison into their mouths.
It is believed that the cyanide bombs stop certain predators from killing livestock and that a ban of the traps would result in farmers losing money.
According to BBC, a child was temporarily blinded by one of the capsules in 2017, while three pet dogs killed in two incidents in Idaho and Wyoming.
The Center for Biological Diversity in America released a statement explaining why they are opposed to the decision, which read: “Cyanide traps are indiscriminate killers that can’t be used safely by anyone, anywhere.
“We’re fighting for a permanent nationwide ban, which is the only way to protect people, pets and imperiled wildlife from this poison.”
There have also been a number of incidents that saw animals who aren’t considered a threat to farmers and their livestock – such as skunks, raccoons and bears – killed by the cyanide bombs.
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