Keeping family pets safe when travelling

Holiday makers who take their dogs when travelling around regional Western Australia are being reminded to keep them safe from 1080 baits.

Holiday makers who take their dogs when travelling around regional Western Australia are being reminded to keep them safe from 1080 baits.

1080 baits are used extensively by farmers and pastoralists throughout the State on both private and government lands to control feral pests, including wild dogs, foxes, pigs and rabbits, which threaten livestock and biodiversity. Tourists travelling with pet dogs are urged to consider putting them on a lead, muzzling when off lead, or avoid bringing them on holiday to prevent them being poisoned.

Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) regional biosecurity coordinator Lindsay Strange said while the use of 1080 baits was strictly regulated, pet owners needed to take responsibility for the safety of their animals. DPIRD will distribute a ‘1080 baiting: a must for pest control but a risk to domestic pets’ flyer to tourist hotspots as a further reminder for dog owners to keep their pets close. If poisoning is suspected, seek immediate medical attention or veterinary assistance or contact the Poisons Information Centre on 13 11 26.
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