When asked about the most merciless thing we encounter at PETA, the answer is often surprising. It isn’t some obscure form of abuse. It’s something still openly sold on store shelves: glue traps.
Glue traps cause prolonged, extreme agony. Animals caught on these sticky surfaces panic and struggle, tearing away their own fur, feathers or skin. Some break bones or even chew off their limbs in desperate attempts to escape. Many die slowly, from dehydration, starvation, shock or suffocation, sometimes after being discarded alive in a garbage bin with the trap itself.
Singapore already recognises the harm of glue traps. While the authorities acknowledge the danger and have introduced restrictions on their use, these devices remain legally available for sale. They often ensnare not only mice and rats but also birds, bats, reptiles and companion animals.
As a result, rescue organisations are frequently called to free injured animals, including protected species like kingfishers, bats and civets. For most animals caught in glue traps, however, there is no rescue, only prolonged distress and a slow death.
Around the world, glue traps have already been prohibited in many places, including countries such as England and the Netherlands, as well as in large parts of Australia. Major global retailers, such as Target and Walgreens, have removed these products from their shelves. These developments show that eliminating glue traps is a realistic and responsible course of action.
In Singapore, retailers can help end this practice by removing glue traps from their shelves. Shoppers should speak up when they see these products being sold. If we recognise glue traps for what they are – one of the most violent devices still confoundingly, widely available – there’s no ethical reason they should remain for sale.
Jason Baker
President, PETA Asia
