Ban the public sale of Glue traps

Ban the public sale of glue traps in England

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📧 PS.Baroness.Hayman@defra.gov.uk

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Dear Baroness Hayman,

I am writing as a concerned member of the public to urge you to close a glaring loophole in England’s glue trap legislation by banning the sale and supply of rodent glue traps to members of the public.

Glue traps cause severe and prolonged suffering. Animals caught on them can remain trapped for hours, panicking and struggling to escape. They may tear skin, injure limbs, become exhausted or dehydrated, and suffer extreme distress before they are eventually killed or die.

Protect the Wild is opposed to the use of glue traps in all circumstances. We do not believe that deliberately immobilising a terrified animal on a sheet of adhesive can ever be considered humane, and we ultimately want to see their use ended completely.

However, the immediate issue this petition asks the Government to address is the continued public sale of these traps.

Since the Glue Traps (Offences) Act 2022 came into force in England in 2024, ordinary members of the public have been prohibited from using glue traps to catch rodents. Yet it remains legal for anyone to buy one from a shop or online.

That makes no sense.

If members of the public cannot legally use glue traps, they should not be able to buy them.

The Government argues that licensed professional operators may still use glue traps in limited circumstances to protect public health and safety. We strongly question whether such a cruel method is ever necessary when alternatives exist, but even under the Government’s current licensing regime, this provides no justification for unrestricted public sale.

If licensed operators are permitted to use glue traps, they should obtain them through controlled professional suppliers. There is no credible reason for these devices to remain freely available to the general public.

The Government also describes licensed use as being restricted to “exceptional circumstances”. Yet enforcement relies heavily on licence holders complying with conditions and on unlawful use being detected or reported. Animal rescuers continue to encounter animals caught on glue traps, and by the time misuse is discovered, the suffering has already happened.

Removing glue traps from public sale would be a simple preventative step. It would make unlawful use harder, reduce confusion about their legal status and send a much clearer message about the cruelty of these devices.

Other jurisdictions have already gone further. Wales has prohibited their use, while Scotland now prohibits their use, possession and supply. New Zealand has also introduced strict restrictions on their sale and use.

England should not continue with a system where a product is illegal for most people to use but remains freely available for them to purchase.

I therefore urge the Government to:

ban the sale and supply of rodent glue traps to members of the public in England;
end unrestricted high-street and online sales;
restrict any remaining supply to appropriately authorised professional operators through controlled suppliers;
and review the continued licensed use of glue traps with the aim of ending their use entirely.

The immediate demand is simple: if the public cannot legally use glue traps, the public should not be able to buy them.

Yours sincerely,

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Ban the public sale of glue traps in England

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