In Australia, cane toads are a big environmental problem because they spread quickly and spread to new areas. Everyone agrees that cane toads need to be controlled, but there is a lot of disagreement about the most humane way to do it.
This is mostly because there isn’t a lot of study on how different ways of killing toads affect them, and it’s also hard to tell how much pain and distress they are in just by looking at them.
Background
Every year, people, the government, and community groups in Australia kill thousands of cane toads in a variety of (and sometimes cruel) ways. Even though cane toads are considered pests, they can feel pain and anxiety, so any methods used to get rid of them must not add to their suffering. Governments and the people need to work together to make sure that only fair methods are used.
Unfortunately, there aren’t many humane ways that regular people can use. Most of the methods that are currently suggested need either special tools or operators who have been trained and are skilled.
To make sure that people could learn safe, effective, and moral ways to kill people, community-based training classes on humane killing would be helpful.
Research
Large numbers of adults and tadpoles are being trapped as part of research to find effective ways to stop the spread of cane toads. People should not have to kill as many cane toads in the future if new, humane ways are found.
It is also suggested that studies be carried out to see if a specific small captive bolt (like a chicken or rabbit stunner) can be used to stun animals before they are killed humanely.
How Does The Cane Toad Toxin Affect Animals And Humans?
The stuff that a Cane Toad’s skin glands make is called bufotoxin. It is very dangerous and can kill animals and pets that try to eat it or bite it. If someone is bitten or swallows poison, they may drool a lot, have very red gums, shake their head, cry, lose their balance, and sometimes have seizures. If this happens, they can die. The poison can also hurt people by making their skin and eyes itch.
How Do I Know When A Cane Toad Is Dead?
No matter what way you use to kill an animal, you must be sure it is dead before getting rid of its body. Finding a frog that has died can be hard because it’s hard to tell if it’s dead because they can breathe through their skin as well as their lungs. If none of these things happen, you can be sure that the cane toad is dead (remember to wear thick plastic gloves when touching them):
- Loss of the righting response means that the toad can’t turn over when it is on its back.
- Loss of the withdrawal reaction means that a light squeeze of the skin between the toes has no effect.
- Loss of the deep pain trigger means that moderately squeezing the toes won’t hurt.
- There was no movement of the lungs or throat, which are signs of breathing.
- No heartbeat, no chest movement, and no pulse that can be seen.
Always look for these signs, and don’t think an animal is dead just because it doesn’t seem to be breathing or moving. If it can’t be proven that the person has died, the killing process must be done again.
How To Care For Your Pet Once An Encounter Has Happened?
What you do right away after the event is very important for your pet’s safety. Veterinarians say that you should first use a cloth to wipe your pet’s tongue and gums. Second, give your pet water to rinse its mouth out for about ten minutes.
You want to clean your pet’s mouth, tongue, and gums without letting them drink the water. Use a hose if your pet is big. Put your small pet in the sink and use the faucet or sink washer on him. Finally, rinse your pet’s mouth out and take him to the closest vet.
How Can I Deter Cane Toads From My Property?
Getting rid of or limiting Cane Toads’ possible homes and food sources is the best way to keep them out of your yard. To do this, you can cut your grass regularly, fill in any holes around buildings, trim your trees close to the ground, get rid of any trash around your house, and bring your pet’s food and water bowls inside at night.
Can I Remove Cane Toads From My Property?
In Florida, only laws against cruelty protect cane toads. They can be taken off of private land at any time of the year. Cane Toads should be killed on private property, says the Florida Wildlife Commission (FWC).
Cane Toads that have been caught cannot be moved and set free somewhere else. Getting rid of these toads can be helped by hired wildlife trappers, who can be found by looking online. Cane Toads can also be taken off of people’s land.
How to Control Cane Toads
The Australian Government released the Standard Operating Procedure for the Humane Field Euthanasia of Cane Toads (SOP) in 2011. It was based on a study that compared how humane different ways of killing cane toads were.
This SOP hasn’t been changed, though, so it doesn’t include some new methods that have been tested and developed. It does, however, still have some useful information in it. The SOP doesn’t name any methods as always acceptable, which shows that more research is needed to find a humane way to kill cane toads.
The most humane way that can be used by anyone right now is the one below:
Cooling And Then Freezing
This method may be better for animals than others, according to one study. This page answers the question, “What is the most humane way to kill a cane toad?” To do this, put the toad in a plastic bag or container and make sure there is enough cool air around each one so that they all freeze at the same rate (for example, put toads in containers one at a time).
After putting the container(s) in the fridge at 4°C for 12 hours and making sure the toad isn’t moving, move it to the freezer at -20°C for at least 24 hours. This will kill it without any pain.
To handle toads, you should always wear gloves. Toads must be proven dead before they can be thrown away.
Spray Aerosol
Hopstop® is an aerosol spray that was made to kill cane toads and is sold in stores for that reason. It seems to work and is easy to use when used in the right amount (at least two sprays per toad), but some toads may show signs of pain and discomfort after it has been used.
Hopstop® has the same active ingredient as Dettol, which irritates and hurts the skin very badly. It also has a chemical that lessens the itching, but it might not get rid of it completely.
People think Dettol is cruel, so you shouldn’t use it. The website for the company that makes Hopstop®, has information on where to buy it. For each toad to be killed, it is very important that enough spray is used.
The SOP says that after spraying, the toad should be closely watched, and a second spray should be used as soon as it stops moving. Toads must be proven dead two hours after being sprayed before they can be thrown away.
NOTE: You shouldn’t use another spray-on product with eugenol, like Croaked®, because new studies show that some toads can go through a lot of pain before they die.
Decapitation
Individual cane toads can also be killed by stunning them and then cutting off their heads. However, this method should only be used by experienced and confident people who have the right tools and know-how.
This method should not be used unless the people involved have had the right training, because stunning or decapitation that doesn’t work will cause a cruel death.
Prolonged Exposure To Carbon Dioxide
Most of the time, multiple cane toads are killed at once by exposing them to carbon dioxide for a long time. This method can only be used by people who have been trained and have the right tools. Death must be proven before the body is thrown away.