Attorney General Ellison wins court order to protect dogs from apparent poisoning attempt in Mankato
Ellison sues two Mankato residents for allegedly placing rodenticides on sidewalk in attempt to deter dogs from urinating on their lawn, in violation of state and federal law strictly regulating their use
Files lawsuit on behalf of MN Dept. of Agriculture, which has state and federal authority to regulate rodenticides and all other pesticides
Court grants temporary restraining order to protect dogs, other animals and wildlife, and children at immediate risk of ingesting accessible rat poison blocks lying in plain sight; at least one dog already harmed
July 3, 2026 (SAINT PAUL) — Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison’s office took legal action to protect dogs in Mankato from an apparent attempt to poison them. In a lawsuit and motion for a temporary restraining order that the Attorney General’s Office filed in Blue Earth County District Court on behalf of Minnesota Agriculture Commissioner Thom Peterson on July 1, two Mankato residents are alleged to have placed multiple rodent bait blocks, or rat poison, near the front sidewalk of their home at 125 W. Lewis St. in Mankato to deter dog owners from letting their pets urinate on the defendants’ lawn. The defendants placed signs to this effect on their property and it appears their intent was to harm dogs.
At least one dog ate the bait, which required the dog’s owner to induce vomiting to prevent serious illness or death. When approached by an investigator from the Department of Agriculture, the defendants refused to cooperate. Photos of rat poison on the sidewalk and signs the defendants placed in their yard are included below and in the lawsuit and TRO motion.
The federal Environmental Protection Agency sets standards for the use of rodenticides, commonly known as rat poison. All known rodenticide block labels approved by EPA prohibit the use of rodenticide bait blocks in outdoor, above ground locations unless placed in a tamper resistant bait station that is resistant to destruction by pets or children. Further, all known rodenticide block labels require that the blocks be kept away and out of reach from children and pets.
Defendants are charged with failing to use the rodenticide blocks at issue in a manner consistent with their EPA-approved label. The lawsuit further asks the court to impose a civil penalty of $7,500 for each day of violation.
On the afternoon of July 2, the court granted a motion for a temporary restraining order, filed by Attorney General Ellison’s Office on behalf of Commissioner Peterson, requiring the defendants to remove the rat poison from its public location as it poses ongoing serious health risks to dogs, wildlife and other domestic animals, and children. Defendants are also required to allow a Department of Agriculture inspector to inspect the exterior of their property.
