BY KAREN BOSSICK
It was just two years ago that a 14-year-old boy and his dog were sprayed by cyanide from an M-44 set for coyotes near their home in Pocatello.
The 3-year-old yellow lab died but Canyon Mansfield survived to tell the story, after which other cyanide bombs were discovered nearby
That case and others prompted Montana filmmaker Jamie Drysdale to produce a 52-minute documentary film titled “Lethal Control.”
The film, which takes a look at the use of lethal M-44 cyanide ejector devices, will be screened at 6 tonight—Thursday, May 16, at Ketchum’s Community Library. And the free screening, organized by Western Watersheds Project will be followed by a panel discussion.
The discussion led by Drysdale, will feature Western Watersheds Project Executive Director Erik Molvar, Brooks Fahy of Predator Defense and members of the Mansfield family, whose child and dog were sprayed by cyanide from an M-44 set by Wildlife Services.
M-44s are currently used by the federal government and trappers on public and private land in 14 states, including Idaho. These so-called spring-loaded “cyanide bombs” with baited lures designed to control coyote populations have caused serious injuries to unsuspecting people and killed family pets and other non-target animals.
The film features interviews with the Mansfield family, as well as Todd Sexton, who lost his dog Mollie, and Dennis Slaugh, who has suffered from health problems ever since triggering a device in 2003.
Drysdale, who has a Masters of Environmental Journalism degree from the University of Montana, is slated to air his documentary on Montana PBS. He also presented his documentary at a congressionally-sponsored screening on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., organized by Predator Defense and the International Fund for Animal Welfare.
The film was introduced by Rep. Ppeter DeFazio (D-Ore.) who is sponsoring federal legislation to make the use of M-44s a criminal offense nationwide. It’s only a matter of time until a child is killed, DeFazio said in a news conference held in conjunction with the screening.