Poisoning feral chickens is illegal and can have unwanted consequences, the Department of Environmental Protection has warned.

The reminder was issued after the department received complaints that chickens were poisoned in the Warwick West area.

“While it appears that feral chickens may have been the target, pet chickens have also been poisoned in this episode,” the spokeswoman said.

Laying poison or wilfully administering any poisonous or injurious drug or substance to an animal without just cause is an offence of cruelty under the Care and Protection of Animals Act, she added.

And the indiscriminate laying of poison also affects non-targeted species when the poison is deposited into the environment, the spokeswoman said.

It is the owner’s responsibility to cage, coop or otherwise contain their pet, she pointed out.

Where that does not happen, “persons negatively affected by pet birds should first contact the bird owners, and then if not satisfied with results, contact the Department of Environmental protection”, the spokeswoman said.