Save Newbury Wildlife

01/17/2025

HD2508/HD1721/SD1447 - restricting the use of rodenticides

Our Newbury Home Rule bill (formerly H4741) has been revived in 2025: it is now HD2508:
https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/HD2508
An Act authorizing the town of Newbury to adopt a bylaw restricting the use of second generation anticoagulant rodenticides
Presenters: Representative Kristin E. Kassner, Senator Bruce E. Tarr

The previous bill (H4741) had been assigned to the committee for Environment and Natural Resources, and it's likely that HD2508 will be assigned to this same committee. As yet, no official announcement. When we hear, we will alert Save Newbury Wildlife supporters so that you can contact committee members and ask that they support bill HD2508.

More: please ask your respective Massachusetts state legislators to support the following legislative bills, HD1721 and SD1447.

State Representative Jim Hawkins has crafted a broad ranging bill that would restrict the use of all rodenticides, not only SGARs, in the state of Massachusetts.

Hawkins' (House) bill:
https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/HD1721
An Act Restricting the use of Rodenticides in the Environment
Presenter: State Representative Jim Hawkins
. . and the companion Senate bill:
https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/SD1447
An Act restricting the use of rodenticides in the environment
Presenter: Senator Michael O. Moore

Thank you!

06/02/2024

It’s that time of the year!

05/31/2024

Saturday June 1st @ 1:00 Kensington Public Library!

05/31/2024

Greetings, Save Newbury Wildlife supporters!

We have the best news to report! Our Citizen's petition is now a bill: https://malegislature.gov/Bills/193/HD5157
An Act authorizing the town of Newbury to adopt a bylaw restricting the use of second generation anticoagulant rodenticides. Sponsored by Rep Kassner and Sen Tarr.

Thank you for all your help in reaching this level! We have more work ahead to get this bill passed, and to give the Mass State Legislature incentive to create statewide legislation, but we have the momentum. Cheers!

An Act amending the appointment and election restrictions on finance committee and capital planning members in the town of Newbury

03/31/2024

SATURDAY, APRIL 6th, 10 am : Newbury Library. "Managing Rodents without Poison"

03/27/2024

It was not unexpected, but still heart breaking: Flaco, the Eurasian owl that escaped from The Central Park Zoo in 2023, was found to have high levels of rat poison at the time of his death after colliding with a building. Bronx Zoo veterinary pathologists determined that in addition to the traumatic injuries, Flaco had two significant underlying conditions. He had a severe pigeon herpesvirus from eating feral pigeons that had become part of his diet, and exposure to four different anticoagulant rodenticides that are commonly used for rat control in New York City. These factors would have been debilitating and ultimately fatal, even without a traumatic injury, and may have predisposed him to flying into or falling from the building.
Toxicology testing also revealed trace amounts of DDE, a breakdown product of the pesticide DDT, but the levels detected in Flaco were not clinically significant and did not contribute to his death. Although DDT has been banned in the United States since the early 1970s, it and its breakdown products are remarkably persistent in the environment, and this finding is reminder of the long legacy of DDT and its dire effects on wild bird populations.

Tests found that Flaco, an owl that gained fame after escaping Central Park Zoo in 2023, had consumed rat poison before his death last month.

03/12/2024

The Save Massachusetts Wildlife Education Fund We’re pleased to announce that Save Arlington Wildlife founder and director Laura Kiesel has recently launched The Save Massachusetts Wildlife Education Fund, a fiscally sponsored project of the nonprofit, Mission:Earth. The Mission and Vision of the ...

02/22/2024

Glue traps. Hideously cruel, right up there with SGARs (second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides) - rat poisons. A congressman from California has recently introduced FEDERAL legislation that would ban these inhumane traps—nationwide. But your voice is important.

Please email/call your state’s federal legislators and ask them to support his important bill: H.R.7018 — 118th Congress (2023-2024): “Glue Trap Prohibition Act of 2024”
Find your federal congress members here:

Find your members of Congress by typing in your address on Congress.gov.

01/29/2024

This video will focus on the basic steps for controlling rats and mice in and around structures without the use of poisons or other lethal control measures.

01/21/2024

CALL TO ACTION!! 1/23/24 Select Board Meeting 7pm
The town of Newbury will be discussing its policy on rodenticides at the Select Board Meeting this Tuesday, at the town hall on Kent Way in Byfield. This is likely in response to our testimony during the public comment period at the last meeting which you can view here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXXLTeyTfdg
While we are not officially on the agenda to speak, we think it is very important that we have a show of support for our request to reduce/eliminate the use of rodenticides in our town.
photo credit to member Jan Berger

01/18/2024

"SAY NO TO RAT POISON" YARD SIGNS AVAILABLE
If you live in Newbury and you would like a Yard Sign please send us an email with your address and we can drop one off! We will also have them available at our next meeting Feb. 6 @ 6pm in the Newbury Library.
[email protected]
I managed to stick mine in a snowbank❄️⛄️

01/17/2024

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20240111-the-us-is-bringing-back-beavers-because-theyre-natures-best-firefighters?fbclid=IwAR1DuTIXLQMRdWrv04SfTwIMRuXG3iRlnBf8hL2Se-RtWHeHu3BgvTojtyw

For decades, beavers were considered pests – trapped and shot on sight. Now the attitude towards nature's best engineers is changing, and farmers are working to bring them back.

01/14/2024

Rep. Jim Hawkins & Rep. Steve Owens' testimony in front of the May 10, 2023 hearing of the Joint Committee on Environment and Natural Resources in favor of H...

01/09/2024

Tune in, Tuesday at 6:00 pm EST, for a LIVE with Jane and James, where we answer all your questions about RAT POISON and how it’s affecting our wildlife!

This will probably be the most important live we will ever do…