Jacob Brown
New Yorkers may soon lose one tool in their fight against rodents that many have used for years. A new bill before New York lawmakers would ban the sale and usage of glue traps, as more people and animal advocacy groups view them as unnecessarily cruel.
Cruel Effects of Glue Traps:
The bill reads, “Glue traps do not immediately kill the rodent; rather, they slowly die over several days due to starvation, dehydration, and exhaustion.”
“The glue used is also quite toxic and burns the animals’ skin, eyes, and mucous membranes. They will usually rip off their skin and fur, cause self-inflicted wounds, and chew their limbs off trying to escape.”
Effectiveness Concerns:
The bill also noted that the traps, like the common snap trap, are less effective than others.
Brooklyn State Sen. Jabari Brisport and Assemblyman Harvey Epstein, who represents the east side of Manhattan, sponsored the legislation.
“If you want an animal dead, there are lots of ways to do it, and torturing an animal to death isn’t the answer,” Epstein told the New York Times. “We don’t need to lose our humanity just because we don’t like having as many rodents in our midst as we currently do.”
Opposition from Pest-Control Industry:
However, opponents of the measure, including those working in the pest-control industry, believe it’s misguided. They say there are far more cruel extermination methods. Additionally, glue traps are cheaper for professionals and amateurs than other options.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns against using glue traps because of possible exposure to disease from the trapped rodents.
According to the bill, trapped rodents will “urinate, defecate, or bleed, which may contain germs that expose humans to diseases.”
