Inhumane rodent glue traps are to be banned in England after a unanimous vote in the House of Lords following years of campaigning
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The ban on inhumane rodent glue traps in England gets final backing from the House of Lords.
Humane Society International (HSI) launched its Unstuck campaign in 2015 and has since been pushing for a ban on the public use of glue traps.
Glue traps have a strong adhesive layer which can suffocate small mammals, such as mice and rats, as well as rip off skin and break limps.
Although these traps can cause extreme animal suffering, they are widely available in stores for as little as 99p.
According to HSI, these traps also pose a serious risk to endangered species like hedgehogs, wild birds, and bats.
In the coming days, the new legislation will receive Royal Assent making it illegal in England to kill rodents with glue traps. The ban will come into effect in England two years after receiving Royal Assent.
However, the ruling contains a limited exemption for “pest” control operatives to apply to the Secretary of State for a licence to use glue traps.
Additionally, the ban is not in place in the remaining countries in the UK.
“Glue traps are crude devices that cause horrific suffering”
In a statement, Executive Director of HSI, Claire Bass, said: “Glue traps are crude devices that cause horrific suffering to millions of animals.
“It is immoral to subject small, sentient wildlife to being immobilised on these sticky boards, only to suffocate in the glue, die slowly of their injuries, or be ineptly killed by unprepared members of the public who resort to drowning or throwing them in the rubbish while still alive.”
Bass concluded that the licensing regime for glue trap use by the ‘pest’ control industry will need to be strictly managed to ensure the products are no longer casually used.
Moreover, animal rights activist and supported of the Unstuck campaign, Chris Packham, added: “When wildlife, like mice and rats, are successful at living alongside humans, we label them ‘pests’ or ‘vermin’ and seem to think that’s a green light to completely disregard their welfare.
“Glue traps are a prime example of this. That attitude has to change.”
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Feature image source: Chris Scuffins
