As Trump Moves To Allow ‘Cyanide Bombs’ To Kill Coyotes, Some Worry Dogs Will Die

The Trump administration is moving to lift a three-year ban on spring-loaded M-44 cyanide bombs used to kill coyotes on public land. After being banned on Bureau of Land Management land in 2023, the devices might make a comeback in Wyoming and other Western states. That could be good news for ranchers who want to protect livestock during lambing and calving seasons, but others worry that M-44s could kill dogs and other unsuspecting animals.

An M-44 is a cylindrical device with a ground spike at one end, left nearly buried with bait exposed on the top. When an animal bites the bait, it activates an ejector spring, releasing a burst of sodium cyanide into the animal’s mouth. In April, the Trump administration issued a memorandum of understanding clearing the way for M-44s to be allowed again on BLM land.