Idahoans protesting M-44 ‘cyanide bomb’ at USDA meetings
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POCATELLO — Over the next several days people around the Gem State will show their opposition to the use of M-44 cyanide devices used to control predatory animals.
Protestors and conservation organizations are taking a stand during a number of scheduled U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Wildlife Services information meetings.
Since March a temporary moratorium has been in place on the use of the cyanide devices and protestors are hoping to make the moratorium permanent.
Earlier that month, a “cyanide bomb” was placed near a residential area in Pocatello. The device was set off and injured 14-year-old Canyon Mansfield, and killed his 3-year-old yellow Labrador.
Since the incident Canyon’s father and local doctor Mark Mansfield traveled to Washington, D.C., to petition lawmakers to ban on M-44s.
“We’re pushing for Canyon’s Law, which is House Bill 1817, that will make it a federal law so no person in this United States can place a cyanide bomb or a Compound 1080 on any lands in the U.S.,” Mark Mansfield, said in a June article. “We’ve never heard from the USDA. We don’t expect or want an apology at this point but one would think that if you attempted to murder my child and you did kill my dog right outside of my home that you would at least have some of your people talk to us, approach us or try to connect with us,” Mansfield said.
The USDA said in an emailed statement on March 17 that “the unintentional lethal take of a dog is a rare occurrence,” but have not returned multiple requests since the initial release.
Mansfield said he isn’t a protestor or an activist, but when his son was saved,”by the grace of God,” he felt it is his responsibility to fight against the use of the lethal chemical.
“You would think that such an archaic, toxic chemical wouldn’t be used by these people,” Mansfield said. “Yet they leave it out there for my kid, and for my neighbors, the hikers and the bikers.”
Mansfield and wildlife and public safety advocates are concerned the agency may be holding these information sessions to placate critics while preparing to resume the use of M-44.
He said only 15 states in the nation are using this chemical for predator control.
“The rest of the states have figured it out they don’t want it. The states that don’t have cyanide bombs in it they’re not overrun by coyotes,” Mansfield said.
Activists are gathering at the Lewiston Community Center at 6 p.m. Tuesday, the Holiday Inn in Boise at 6 p.m. Wednesday, and Idaho State University-Pond Student Union in Pocatello at 6 p.m. Thursday.