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To: Mitre 10 CEO Neil Cowie

Stop Hot Foot!

2016: We won yay!

Stop carrying Hot Foot and other polybutene based bird repellents at Mitre 10.

Why is this important?

Hot Foot and other polybutene based bird repellents are a cruel and inhumane method of pest control. It is a sticky glue like substance which burns on skin contact and can trap birds and small animals(1), literally gluing them to buildings! (2) It does not discriminate between native and non-native birds and the injuries that birds sustain may require them to be euthanised (3).

Mitre 10 and the manufacturer of Hot Foot (Hot Foot International) claim that it does not harm birds but that is hard to believe when the product carries so many harsh health warnings for humans. For eye contact, you are supposed to flush with water for 20 minutes. For skin contact you are supposed to do the same and sponge the skin gently so the skin doesn't come off. If it's swallowed, it can burn the mouth, throat and stomach lining and they can't even pump your stomach so you're out of luck. (4) All of these things could happen to a bird who encounters the gel and tries to remove it by preening.

Pest control does not have to be cruel. There are many products available on the market, even at Mitre 10, which do not cause any harm to the target animals. Spikes, nets, flash tapes, predator decoys and even similar non-toxic bio repellent gels are very effective and also humane. Hot foot is a barbaric product that has no place on Mitre 10's shelves--tell Mitre 10 to stop carrying Hot Foot today!

--References--
1. Hot Foot's own label details the risks of using the product:
https://www.hotfoot.com/labels/gel-label.pdf

2. A sad story from Waikato in 2009 shows how a flock of native Welcome Swallows (Warou) were trapped against a pipe and unable to free themselves:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/news/2774765/Bird-error-hard-to-swallow

3. A 2011 story from Nelson shows another incident where the majority of a flock of Welcome Swallows needed the be euthanised. Note the quote from Senior SPCA inspector Craig Crowley who says "I have never seen anything as horrible in pest control. It is unacceptable in any circumstances."
http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/5256404/Distressing-sticky-end-for-trapped-swallows

4. This page details medical advice for emergency medical treatment.
http://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/search/a?dbs+hsdb:@term+@DOCNO+5158

Updates

2021-11-16 12:24:20 +1300

Petition is successful with 66 signatures

2021-11-16 12:21:24 +1300

50 signatures reached

2021-11-16 12:21:22 +1300

25 signatures reached

2021-11-16 12:21:22 +1300

10 signatures reached