Urge Sandia National Laboratories to Stop Poisoning Squirrels

BACKGROUND | SOURCE PETA

Sandia National Laboratories’ Livermore, Calif., facility admits to PETA that it is poisoning ground squirrels. We offered the facility advice regarding humane ground-squirrel control, and although we were told that Sandia would attempt to minimize the use of bait stations where feasible, the company did not agree to halt the use of cruel poisons entirely.

Poisons are horribly cruel—they cause convulsions, vomiting, internal bleeding, gradual cardiac collapse, and a variety of other reactions that result in immense suffering and a slow, agonizing death. The most common poisons take several days to kill! And orphaned young end up dying of starvation and dehydration. Poisons also pose risks to dogs, cats, and “nontarget” wildlife (including federally protected birds) who make contact with tainted bodies.

Please contact representatives of Sandia National Laboratories and politely urge them to remove all remaining poison and employ only humane and effective wildlife control methods.


WHOM TO CONTACT

Send polite comments to:

Email block

pjhomme@sandia.gov ,  rcholla@sandia.gov ,  mejanes@sandia.gov

Individual

Paul Hommert
President and Laboratories Director
Sandia National Laboratories
pjhomme@sandia.gov

Robert Holland
Environmental Management Department
Sandia National Laboratories
rcholla@sandia.gov

Mike Janes
Communications Officer
Sandia National Laboratories
mejanes@sandia.gov


SAMPLE LETTER

Dear President Hommert, Mr. Holland, and Communications Officer Janes,

It has come to my attention that the Sandia National Laboratories facility in Livermore, California, admits that it is poisoning ground squirrels. It is my understanding that Sandia would attempt to minimize the use of bait stations where feasible, but that the company did not agree to halt the use of cruel poisons entirely. Please allow me this opportunity to elaborate my protest.

These animals are targeted as a response to objections over their presence, and the use of the poison has been chosen as the preferred method of death. Poisons are horribly cruel—they cause convulsions, vomiting, internal bleeding, gradual cardiac collapse, and a variety of other reactions that result in immense suffering and a slow, agonizing death. The most common poisons take several days to kill. And orphaned young end up dying of starvation and dehydration.  Furthermore, this poison can also affect other non-target wild and non-wild animals, including family pets and those who maintain an endangered definition.

Of additional concern is that killing the squirrels artificially increases food supplies to the remaining squirrels, the consequence of which is increased reproduction and an ensuing greater population. In fact, studies have demonstrated that the continual cycle of seasonal culls is responsible for a rebound, or larger population, in subsequent years.

As such, I respectfully request that you remove any remaining poison and work with particular groups to develop alternative, humane solutions to killing these animals. These creatures are sentient and deserve our compassion and respect, not our brutality and violence.

I thank you for your attention to this matter.

NAME

poisons,
cruel and
morally unsound,
take them off your
facility’s grounds.
do try to find
a humane way
to keep squirrel
populations,
KINDLY
at bay

Karen Lyons Kalmenson