Pet owners in Seaford warned over possible pet poisoning after lady tells garden centre staff she is poisoning foxes with rat poison

LATEST UPDATE

East Sussex WRAS has received information about a person possibly in the Central Seaford area who has a dislike of Foxes who may be poisoning foxes. The person lives near the Salts Recreation Ground. Pet owners should keep a close eye on pets in that area and seek urgent veterinary assistance if they suspect poisoning. Information has been forwarded to Sussex Police and forward to DEFRA.


A Seaford Garden Centre has refused to sell rat poison to a lady who attempted to buy rat poison to mix with dog food to kill foxes. (Please see the e-mail below). East Sussex Wildlife Rescue and Ambulance Service (WRAS) has decided to issue a warning to pet owners in the Seaford area as a result as clearly poison is being used illegally in the area and is being placed out openly for foxes then pet cats and dog may well be able to gain access to eat the poison.

"We have contacted the two local veterinary practices in Seaford as a result of what we have been told and we have praised staff at the garden centre for being responsible and refusing to sell the poison to her" said WRAS founder Trevor Weeks.

WRAS has recently dealt with a fox in Eastbourne which was thought to be poisoned, but earlier in the year also dealt with several hedgehogs from Seaford which veterinary staff are now wandering if they may have suffered from mice poison. "Rat and mice poison in hedgehogs is not something we really see much off. The three cases we had earlier this year died fairly quickly and the cause was uncertain, now it is making us wander if they may have been poisoned – I hope not" said Trevor.

WRAS is urging all pet owners in Seaford to keep a close eye on their pets and if they are at all concerned they should seek urgent veterinary advice. " This is not a condition which can be ignored and certainly should not wait till morning, so please contact the vet as a matter of urgency" said Trevor.

"This is sick, poisoning any animal is a horrible death, I applaud the garden centre for being responsible in the way they sell it, but it does make me questions whether it is too easy for people to get hold of it and use it in an irresponsible manner. I thought this country was supposed to be full of animal lovers, and as a general rule I find people in Seaford are very animal and wildlife friendly, but clearly this particular lady isn't. Having seen first-hand the suffering and pain poisoning animals go through I don't know how anyone can use it. I've hardened up to most incidents we deal with but poisoning cases still upset me. In this modern age of technology and with us apparently being the more intellectual race you would have thought we could have come with an alternative and that poisons would be used any more" explained Trevor.

Email received by WRAS

Dear Trevor

I have just read your article re fox poisoning, I am very sorry to read this but I am afraid we may have the same problem in Seaford, a customer came into our shop to purchase Rat poison, she then informed us that she was putting it into dog food and leaving it out for the foxes, having tried mouse poison which had not worked.

I and my staff were appalled and refused to serve her, but she could go anywhere and buy it without question, we are endeavoring to ask customers where they are using the poison. Is there any laws about this, I am copying the article, if you have no objection to display in my shop.

I really cannot understand people.

Mrs Ann Jesty

Wynnes/Seaford Fencing

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Press Contacts: Trevor Weeks, East Sussex WRAS 01825 873003 (office hours) and Mrs Ann Jesty 01323-891292.

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