Horrendous: the experiences of people and their dogs with 1080 baiting

Lethal control as a conservation method is often controversial; 1080 (Sodium fluoroacetate) baiting in particular is a topic of much debate because of its potential for „off target‟ baiting, that no known antidote exists, and that it causes irreversible suffering for animals that have ingested it. Dogs in particular, are extremely susceptible to 1080 poisoning and are often subject to „off target‟ baiting. Human-animal relationships represent a significant aspect of many peoples‟ lives and one of the most common and beloved are the relationships between an owner and their dog. This project aims to gain a much deeper understanding of people‟s personal experience of the unintended consequences of 1080 baiting. Designed as a qualitative study within a phenomenological framework, with the use of semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis, we explored how human-animal relationships are influenced when people and their dogs are directly impacted by 1080 baiting. The results identified three main themes relating to the research question, “Responsibility, horrendous & horrific, and traumatic grief”, and each main theme included secondary sub-themes. Experiences with 1080 influenced human and animal relationships, resulting in increased empathy and protectiveness towards not just their own dogs but animals of all species and status when considering lethal control methods. While dog owners had a perception that animal control methods are necessary; they strongly believe 1080 baiting to be an inhumane method that has caused the horrific death of their loved one and ongoing grief for them personally. This research has given the dog owners and their dogs that have experienced 1080 baiting an opportunity to have their voice heard and feel a sense of action. As the first study to qualitatively document the experiences of people and their dogs with 1080 baiting this can be used to inform rural communities, government agencies and dog owners of the impacts that 1080 baiting has on individuals and their companion animals within the community.