SAN DIEGO — Ocean Beach residents voicing their concerns about poison being used at a local park to get rid of gophers. They say there are no signs up to warn them about the poison being used in Dusty Rhodes Park.
CBS 8 talked to Mackenzie Gunnels. She lives in Ocean Beach and visits the park often.
"Every single day, every evening around this time," she said.
Her dog always comes with her.
"I'll bring all kinds of toys for her, but she mostly just wants to run around and stick her nose in holes and try to hunt something," she said.
Gunnels is concerned her dog will come across the poison being used on the gophers. She wishes the city put out signs to warn residents.
"That's definitely something they should post or make people aware of. There's tons of dogs out here doing the same thing," she said.
Natalie Mazzotta also lives in Ocean Beach and has seen pest control workers at the park multiple times over the past few months. She's asked the company about the poison they're using.
"He said he was putting Strychnine in the ground to kill the gophers and I found that alarming," she said.
She says the company says the city hired them. She took photos showing poison being put into the ground Wednesday.
"Twelve inches is the intent. He uses the pole to create a 12-inch passageway to drop the pellets and then physically pushes the pellet into the ground," she said.
She fears an animal or child could still come in contact with the pellet.
"Could it get stuck at six inches, could some have fallen out on the grass but those are other concerns," she said.
CBS 8 reached out to the city's Parks and Rec Department about the poison and whether signs will be posted. They said they're working to provide us with information as soon as possible.
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