Winnipeg groups appeal ground squirrel management project

Animal rights groups in Winnipeg are calling on the province to revoke a permit allowing the use of rodenticides in city parks, as part of a ground squirrel management program launched earlier this week.

Woodsworth Park is one of nine locations where the City of Winnipeg has started the program, saying the rodents cause hardships in park maintenance. But local advocacy groups argue the use of rodenticides is inhumane and are urging both the city and province to reconsider.

“We were pretty shocked when we all got that email on March 13th saying that the permit has been issued and we have 30 days to appeal,” said Danae Tonge, organizer with Manitoba Animal Save.

Animal rights advocates gathered in March in opposition and have since submitted a formal joint appeal calling on the province to revoke the permit. The city confirmed to CityNews that the project began earlier this week.

“We were extremely surprised and shocked when we learned that the permit has been issued,” said Krista Boryskavich, director of animal advocacy and legal & government affairs with the Winnipeg Humane Society.

Under the provincial Environmental Act, affected individuals have 30 days to appeal such decisions. CityNews reached out to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change for comment.

A statement reads in part:
“An appeal submission does not necessarily suspend the original decision. It is not possible to estimate how long an appeal process may take due to the unique and often complex nature of each appeal.”

“While minister is making his decision, what we would like to see is for this permit to be suspended. So that the city can not be out there in athletic fields while this appeal is being decided,” Boryskavich added.

Dr. James Hare, professor emeritus in biological sciences at the University of Manitoba, is among those supporting the appeal. He says the use of Rozol and RoCon can pose a threat to other species, including companion animals, predators and geese.

“Obviously with it continuing for so long, particularly the use of Rozol all sorts of animals are going to hit into it over time,” Hare said.

Advocates say they hope the province, as it did last year, will revoke the permit. They add that while legal action remains an option, it would not provide immediate protection for ground squirrels.

“I don’t think this issue is going away any time soon. I think that folks are outraged and I think that they should be,” said Kaitlyn Mitchell, director of legal advocacy with Animal Justice.

“We expect a better solution for something that a foreseen issue coming up,” Tonge added.

In a statement, Janine Gibson, leader of the Green Party of Manitoba, said:

“Squirrels are mammals, we are mammals, what we do to them we essentially do to ourselves-
The use of these rodenticides pose significant risks to wildlife, pets, children, and urban ecosystems, including the potential for secondary poisoning of birds of prey and other non-target animals. Neither of these rodenticides result in a humane, near instant death. Further, in that the permit issued to the City of Winnipeg by the Environmental Approvals Branch allows the use of RoCon™ throughout the active season of the ground squirrels, dependent young-of-the-year will be orphaned in their nest burrows and die a slow and agonizing death owing to dehydration and starvation.

Thus, the approved program of lethal control is fundamentally inhumane. The current conditions attached to the permit granted by the EAB are woefully inadequate in terms of preventing the death of non-target species, as mandating a minimum of two checks for day for carcasses or surfaced baits provides more than ample access to chlorophacinone-treated baits and carcasses containing high concentrations of that anticoagulant. Further, while specifying that Rozol™ RTU cannot be deployed once young-of-the-year are born, the absence of any specific date criterion imposes the risk that the presence of dependent young in nests will escape detection, and young will be orphaned to a slow and painful death. Winnipeg’s urban green spaces should reflect our shared values of environmental responsibility, transparency, and compassion for wildlife. Our Green Party of Manitoba builds all our actions on our foundational values of health, ecology, fairness and care.”