As part of my continuing vendetta against the fox, I attended poison school in Braidwood run by the LHPA. Participation in this course allows me to get 1080 fox baits and be responsible for laying them. The course was a real reminder of how toxic these baits are for the beloved family pet and working dog (for husbands and emus, it's not so toxic). So much so, that I wondered if it is worth the risk. Foxes drop baits and store them, which means they pose a risk for some time after baiting. A good fall of rain will help, but the risk remains. There is no antidote to 1080, and many dogs have been accidently poisoned, resulting in lower community acceptance. This risk has to be weighed against the devastating impact of the fox, and in some areas the wild dog, on sheep flocks. To date, poison has been the most effective means of fox management, so with foxes in plague numbers there isn't much choice. Next year a new poison is to be released, which has an antidote, good news for dog owners, but you still need to be quick to get them to the vet.
The ewe doesn't look very happy
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