The Californian city of Ojai has banned the use of glue traps, stating they subject captured animals to an “inhumane and slow death.” It is the second American city to pass the ban.
Glue traps comprise a layer of cardboard, plastic, or wood coated with a non-drying adhesive. When rodents or other pests walk into the trap, their feet and other body parts stick onto the adhesive, and the creatures get trapped. The pests usually die from starvation, suffocation, or dehydration after some time. On Tuesday, the Ojai City Council voted unanimously to prohibit the use and sale of glue traps in their community. This makes Ojai the second city in the United States to ban glue traps. The city of West Hollywood, California, was the first to pass such a measure in April last year.
An administrative report submitted to Ojai City Council last month stated that the process of being stuck and dying from glue traps “is extremely cruel and painful, and subjects the animal to an inhumane and slow death.”
Citing People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), the report claimed that while glue traps are usually used for rodents, they are also utilized to capture other wildlife like birds, snakes, and squirrels. It stated that there are reports of cats being stuck in glue traps and requiring veterinary assistance later.
The report also cited a warning issued by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that the use of glue traps could potentially affect human health. While in a trapped state, the animal produces feces and urine, which can then come into contact with people.
“There are other more humane and effective methods that currently exist in place of glue traps. For vertebrate animals, the most common alternatives include snap traps, live traps, and electric traps. Both snap traps and electric traps have a higher chance of killing the rodent instantly,” the report said.
“Live traps, which are also known as catch and release traps, capture animals by the device shutting closed and trapping the animal inside. Once the device has been triggered and the animal is inside, it can safely be released to another location.”
During the 2021-2022 legislative session, similar bills were introduced in Massachusetts and New York. However, the bills did not pass the legislature.
Ending Painful Deaths
At the council meeting on Tuesday, Jakob Shaw, a special projects manager for PETA, said that glue traps “are responsible for more suffering than any other commercially available wildlife control product,” according to the LA Times.“They pose a threat to every amazing animal who lives in and around Ojai … They’re just these horrible, indiscriminate killing devices that permanently disable, injure, and kill countless small animals every single year,” he stated.
“What is so horrible about glue traps is that the vast majority of animals who are caught in these traps are never even taken to an animal hospital or a wildlife rehabilitator … They are left to suffer excruciatingly painful deaths.”
On Jan. 19, the Wildlife Center of Virginia posted on Facebook about an Eastern Screech-Owl that got trapped in a similar trap. The vet team had to remove the glue residue and carefully dry the owl’s feathers to save it. The center asked people to choose “safe, wildlife-friendly alternatives” instead of glue traps.
During the meeting, one person raised a key concern—whether banning glue traps will end up “pushing people to options that are worse?” The ban on glue traps in the Ojai will take effect in 30 days.
On Jan. 17, Rep. Ted W. Lieu (D-Calif.) introduced the “Glue Trap Prohibition Act” which seeks to impose a national ban on such items.
The bill was backed by multiple organizations including Animal Defenders International, Maine Animal Coalition, Carolina Waterfowl Rescue, The Wildlife Center of Virginia, Protect Our Wildlife Vermont, Animal & Earth Advocates, and Humane Voters of Washington.
According to PETA, the screaming of wildlife caught in glue traps is “extremely upsetting to people who don’t know how to dispose of these sentient beings.”
“Left alone, the terrified, injured animals die, sometimes days later, of blood loss, shock, suffocation, or thirst. Or they die from being crushed in the garbage, which is where the instructions on the traps advise consumers to put them.”
If an individual finds an animal stuck in a glue trap, PETA advises pouring a small amount of cooking oil or baby oil in the region where the animal is stuck and then gently working the creature free. It warns people not to pour oil into the animal’s nose or mouth to prevent suffocation.
The organization pointed out that it was illegal to use glue traps for wild bird control in the United States. As such, individuals who see a wild bird caught in a glue trap should immediately alert local animal control or state wildlife officials, it stated.
