Glue Trap Cruelty, and Alternatives for Rodent Control


Glue Trap Cruelty

In the field of animal welfare, with many people being passionate about saving the elephants and stopping dogfighting (and rightly so for both causes,) the issue that I'm writing about at this very second is the cruelty of glue traps.

Some people would sadly disregard this blog writing for mentioning that rodents, however burdening they may be for some people, are still sentient creatures who deserve no suffering when being dealt with........ But they're far from the only animals that suffer from getting caught in glue traps.

Did I mention that I've interned and volunteered in wildlife rehabilitation and rescue? I've worked around beavers, raccoons, bobcats, foxes, wolves, black bears, and birds of prey (including bald eagles. 😎) I can attest that anyone I've worked around who was involved in wildlife education and rehabilitation has the same disdain for glue traps that I have. "Please elaborate," you might be saying --- which I absolutely will, with words, pictures and links.


The cat had to be euthanized.


It should be obvious already why anyone who works in wildlife opposes glue traps, but the sad reality is that the animals in the pictures were lucky --- at least compared to the countless other animals caught in glue traps that aren't rescued at all.

Rodents and other animals caught on glue traps can take as long as a week to die of anguish, starvation and thirst. They can also suffocate prolongingly if their noses get stuck on the glue traps.

Mammals stuck on glue traps become so overwhelmed by panic that if they're able to, they will chew off their own limbs in order to escape.

Animals stuck on glue traps will also defecate and urinate out of panic. This is why many consider glue traps an ineffective means of preventing rodent disease infections, as the feces and urine of rodents stuck on glue traps can still result in disease infections in the areas that the glue traps were placed.


Alternatives for Rodent Control


Let me state first that, from what I've read, any rodent trap should be handled with gloves and NOT bare hands. Rodents will often associate the smell of a human's hand with danger. It's not like they're unjustified in thinking that way, lol.

Anyhow, here's a short list of more humane alternatives.

The cardboard bucket trap. If you don't want any rodents to survive, add enough water in the bucket for them to drown. It won't take long for them to drown.

The rolling can bucket trap. Again, if you don't want any rodents to survive, add enough water for them to drown.

Adopt a cat. You can't go wrong in life with a cat, right?

The Billy Bob Trap and The Uhlik Repeater, if you do want to relocate the rodents you catch.

Here's a list compiled by Raptors Are the Solution of rodent control methods.

To conclude this writing, I can only advocate against the use of glue traps. If you use them, please [__A__] kill any captured rodent by crushing its head or stomping it inside a plastic bag (thereby also preventing it from defecating and urinating,) or [__B__] release it using vegetable oil. Also, of course, never put glue traps outside. It's not only unethical, it's illegal.

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