Dangerous Poison
A Hamilton thief is dicing with death, and risking public safety, after stealing a poison so deadly even touching it can be fatal.
Rentokil Initial issued an urgent public safety notice in the wake of the theft of Feratox, a cyanide poison used for pest control, which it said took place overnight between June 12/13 in Hamilton from a company vehicle.
He said their number one concern at present was public safety. He also said he had a message for whoever had taken the items.
“Please return the goods. They’re very dangerous and could cause immense harm to the public.”
The company said police, the Environmental Protection Authority, Waikato Regional Council and “all other relevant authorities” have been notified of the theft.
Anyone who comes across the material is asked not to touch it and immediately contact police on 111, or the EPA on 0800 225 537.
According to the safety data sheet from Feratox manufacturers Connovation, the bait station product is fatal if swallowed, fatal in contact with skin and is also “suspected of damaging fertility or the unborn child”.
It is also “very toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects”.
Anyone who comes into contact with the poison is urged to seek immediate medical attention, and symptoms can include dizziness, rapid breathing, headache, drowsiness, rapid pulse, unconsciousness and convulsions.
⚠️ DOGS DIE IN HOT CARS. If you love them, don't leave them. ⚠️
It's a message we share time and time again, and this year, we're calling on you to help us spread that message further.
Did you know that calls to SPCA about dogs left inside hot cars made up a whopping 11% of all welfare calls last summer? This is a completely preventable issue, and one which is causing hundreds of dogs (often loved pets) to suffer.
Here are some quick facts to share with the dog owners in your life:
👉 The temperature inside a car can heat to over 50°C in less than 15 minutes.
👉 Parking in the shade and cracking windows does little to help on a warm day. Dogs rely on panting to keep cool, which they can't do in a hot car.
👉 This puts dogs at a high risk of heatstroke - a serious condition for dogs, with a mortality rate between 39%-50%.
👉 It is an offence under the Animal Welfare Act to leave a dog in a hot vehicle if they are showing signs of heat stress. You can be fined, and prosecuted.
SPCA has created downloadable resources to help you spread the message even further. Posters, a flyer, and a social media tile can be downloaded from our website here: www.spca.nz...
We encourage you to use these - and ask your local businesses to display the posters if they can. Flyers can be kept in your car and handed out as needed.
This is a community problem, and one we cannot solve alone. Help us to prevent more tragedies this summer by sharing this post.
On behalf of the animals - thank you ❤️
Rescued teen tells of fall down ‘two-storey’ waterfall
A Hamilton teenager who spent nearly 40 hours in the bush with broken bones after falling off an “almost two-storey waterfall” has expressed gratitude for all the efforts to find her.
Maia Johnston, 19, who left her mother’s home in Tōtara Park, Upper Hutt on Saturday evening, said she got lost in Akatarawa Forest – described as “a rugged blend of native and exotic forest”, including steep valleys and river gorges, by the Wellington Regional Council.