'We need a change to stop the use of glue traps'
Efforts to stop glue traps move forward this week, just days after a Robin died from one in Buckfastleigh
Last updated 1st Feb 2022
The RPSCA says the death of a Devon Robin in a glue trap - something currently legal and generally used to catch rodents - shows the law needs to change.
They've released pictures showing the charity’s animal rescuers battling to save the small bird’s life - ahead of the third reading of the Glue Traps (offences) Bill on Friday.
Glue traps, also known as glue boards or sticky traps, consist of a sheet of cardboard, plastic or wood coated with non-drying adhesive.
A spokesperson for the animal charity said: "Unfortunately, these traps are currently legal and generally used to catch rodents, whose limbs get stuck to the glue boards as they move across them.
"The animal welfare charity is encouraging people not to set glue traps because of the dangers they pose to wildlife and even pets.
"The RSPCA received 236 reports of glue trap incidents to its cruelty line from 2016 to 2020 involving animals including cats, garden birds, hedgehogs, squirrels and even a parrot.
"Less than 27% of animals involved in incidents seen by the RSPCA were rodents, and a huge 73% of incidents involved non-target species such as pets and other wild animals, many of which were too badly maimed and injured to survive.
"This robin was found near Buckfastleigh in Devon on Sunday, 23 January before being rescued by an RSPCA officer who rushed the bird to the specialist wildlife centre in Somerset. Staff did everything they could to try to remove glue from the bird’s feathers, legs, and beak but sadly they were unable to save the poor robin."
Adam Grogan, RSPCA Head of Wild Animal Science and Policy, added: “We’re opposed to the manufacture, sale and use of all glue traps because they cause unacceptable suffering and are totally indiscriminate in what they catch, ensnaring wild animals like birds and even pets.
“Glue traps may seem like an effective way to catch rodents without killing them, but they come with very serious welfare issues and subject those animals unfortunate enough to get caught to horrific suffering. Even the way they’re designed to catch animals – by sticking their limbs to the board as they cross it – inflicts pain and distress."
If you see an animal you have concerns about please call the RSPCA's emergency line on 0300 1234 999 - however, never try to free an animal from a snare or trap – you risk hurting yourself and the animal. In many cases, animals are more seriously injured than they might look, so it is best that they are examined properly to see if they need veterinary treatment.
For more information on the RSPCA’s glue traps project and how to report any traps you see on sale to the general public, please visit the RSPCA’s website