Detroit Bookstore Warns Rodent Poison Is Killing Squirrels And Threatening Local Wildlife

John King Used & Rare Books in Detroit is on the hunt for someone who has been murdering squirrels after they have been dropping dead one by one outside of their bookstore.

To be transparent, they are looking for somebody who may be using a service or putting out anticoagulant rodenticide, which they believe has killed three squirrels that they say have been found dead on the outside sidewalk of their bookstore.

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Some may not think this is a big deal, but as they pointed out, if the poison, which they suspect is being put out for rats, is killing squirrels, it’s also within reach of any stray animal like a dog or a cat or a hawk that hunts down along the lodge area.

It can’t be emphasized enough that anticoagulant rodenticides don’t just kill rats, but they can also affect great horned owls, eastern screech owls, peregrine falcons, cooper hawks, red-tailed hawks, and other creatures that feed on rats, as one person pointed out in the comment section of their post, urging the community to take action and use precaution:

There are enclosed bait stations and snap traps that do not do this. There is no version of this where the squirrels were an acceptable loss. We do not accept collateral damage. If you have seen a dead or strange-acting squirrel (or other animal) near W. Lafayette, please tell us, as we are keeping records.

As many people pointed out, there are much more humane ways of catching rats, like rat baits or live traps that won’t harm any other animal residually. John King is an animal lover and has spent years helping stray and injured animals and caring for as many as he can, so his concern is not only for the community but for innocent animals as well.