Pet-safe rodent control: how Wild Pest treats rats with dogs and cats in the home

The two-layer safety system

Wild Pest treatments around pets rely on two physical-and-chemical layers. The first is tamper-resistant bait stations — heavy plastic or galvanized-metal enclosures that lock with a key and have entry holes sized for rats but not for dogs or cats. Bait is held inside; pets cannot access it. The second is the bait itself: post-2023, all our active ingredients are either first-generation anticoagulants (chlorophacinone, diphacinone) or non-anticoagulant alternatives (cholecalciferol). Both have meaningfully lower secondary-poisoning risk than the banned SGARs.

What we never use around pets

• Loose rodenticide pellets or blocks placed outside a tamper-resistant station — even briefly. We don't bait without a station.
• Glue traps anywhere — pets get stuck on them as readily as rodents and the welfare issues are unacceptable.
• Banned SGAR baits — illegal as of 2023.
• Indoor exterior-rated bait under furniture or behind appliances where a pet could access if displaced — bait stays in the station.
• Multi-feed bait in spaces where a pet might access a poisoned rodent body within hours of death — exterior placement is preferred.

Treatment-day pet protocol

1. Walk-through with the homeowner: confirm pet locations, eating areas, and any pet-accessible exterior spaces.
2. Place exterior bait stations along the foundation perimeter, anchored, and minimum 1.5 m from any dog run or pet feeding zone.
3. Indoor snap traps placed only in pet-inaccessible voids: behind appliance panels, inside cabinet voids, in attic/crawlspace, behind heavy furniture immovable for the pet.
4. Indoor bait stations only if absolutely necessary, secured to floor or wall, in voids only, with the key kept by the homeowner.
5. Walk-through with the homeowner at end of visit: every station and trap location is shown and documented in the photo report. Pet supervision recommendations included.

Glue traps: why we never use them

Glue traps are sold at major hardware chains across BC. They are also one of the worst tools you can use in a pet-owning home. A cat or small dog that walks onto a glue trap requires veterinary treatment to remove — the adhesive causes skin and fur damage when removed, and the animal often injures itself further trying to escape. Birds, hedgehogs, and other small animals are also routinely caught. The Wild Pest does not use glue traps in any residential setting, pet-household or not. They're also poor rodent control — a distressed live rodent on a glue trap contaminates the trap with urine and faeces, and the rodent's distress calls can actually alert other members of the colony.

The secondary poisoning question: real numbers

Many pet owners are worried about their dog eating a poisoned rat and becoming ill. The risk is real but context-dependent. With first-generation anticoagulant baits (the only type legally deployed in BC residential settings post-2023), a 20 kg dog would need to eat several recently poisoned rats within a short window to reach a clinically concerning dose. Smaller dogs and cats have lower thresholds. The practical risk is low but not zero — and it's why we prefer exterior-only bait station placement where dogs have outdoor access, and document every station location in the photo report. If your dog does consume a poisoned rat, the treatment is vitamin K1 and it's highly effective when caught early. Keep your vet's emergency number accessible for the duration of any active rodent treatment.