Every year, countless pets across California are poisoned by rodenticides and some even are flavored like peanut butter to attract rats but also draws in curious pets and children. These poisons cause internal bleeding, seizures, or organ failure, and many dogs and cats don’t survive. We’re asking California lawmakers to take action and ban these toxic products from store shelves and online once and for all.

Our Story

On Sunday, Oct 9, 2025 our life changed. We noticed our dog, Baldr, eating something in the backyard. It looked like a piece of old cake and smelled sweet. Not being too worried, but cautious, I uploaded an image to the internet and it came up with rat poisoning. After that is was a whirlwind. I put him in the car, called the vet, pulled over to call Animal Pet Control then rushed him in to the Emergency Vet. It felt like a long time but it was in reality under an hour. The waiting was painful. 

The vet took me in and said they gave him something to throw-up and Activated Charcoal. They asked me what kind of poison it was and I had no idea. I was baffled on how it got in our yard. With that, they said they had to treat him for all three and keep him hospitalized overnight.

The Hidden Danger

That first night was grueling. I did a lot of research on rat poison and learned there are three kinds:

1.  Anticoagulants (like D-Con and Tomcat brands)
       •    These cause internal bleeding by preventing blood from clotting.
       •    They can be treated with Vitamin K if caught early but are still extremely dangerous.
   
   
2.  Cholecalciferol (Vitamin D₃–based poisons)

    •    This type causes kidney failure and calcium imbalance.
    •    There is no specific antidote, but aggressive vet care can sometimes help.

     3. Bromethalin (the one that poisoned my dog)
    •    A potent neurotoxin that causes brain swelling, tremors, seizures, and paralysis.
    •    It has no antidote and once symptoms appear, treatment is rarely effective

Why it Matters

All of these poisons can kill pets, wildlife, and even pose risks to children if accidentally ingested, however, Bromethalin is the most lethal and untreatable of them all.

After we were able to take him home he went in for daily bloodwork. On day 3 the doctor called me in to say his bloodwork was normal after several days of elevated liver enzymes. At this point he had been taking a liver protectant medication and a medication to block absorption of toxins. I felt relief until she said that means he had eaten bromethalin. My heart sunk. Now what? I asked his rate of getting it in his brain and his percentage of survival since we caught it early and she told me she had no idea. It is unpredictable. It is just waiting. We would have to monitor him for 7 days for anything out of the ordinary or neuro issues. 

We went home and are in the process of watching and waiting. My life is at a stand still. I decided to email my local Assemblymember and State Senator. I emailed big brand stores who carry rat poison, specifically flavored, I started posting awareness on my socials, Nextdoor and FB groups. While waiting I was on a mission to get this poison out of stores and online and protect our pets and children.

How You Can Help

Every voice matters. You can make a difference by:

-Signing and sharing this petition to help ban Bromethalin and flavored rat poisons in California.
-Contacting your state lawmakers to support stronger regulations on rodenticides that endanger pets, wildlife, and children.
-Checking your yard, property, and local stores plus urging retailers to remove these poisons from their shelves.

Together, we can create safer communities for our pets, our children, and our environment.