BAN ALL TORTUROUS RAT/MOUSE TRAPS (GLUE TRAPS/SPRING/BREAK-BACK TRAPS ETC) & LEGALLY PROTECT MAMMALIAN 'PESTS'.

With modern, humane trap/release alternatives, deterrents and other ways of keeping properties secure, there can be no further justification for continuing to TORTURE and then very slowly kill tiny, innocent animals using either glue traps, snap traps, break-back (as the name suggests) or spring traps etc. (Glue traps are also placed on the top of buildings in town centres to trap pigeons - I wonder why they are placed so high up - so that again, the public are left unaware of what's really going on). The public generally don't want to witness suffering. That's why you see so many pigeons with 'stub' feet.

These animals feel the same pain, misery and suffering/put up the same struggle for survival that you or I would if we were trapped for days at a time in an instrument of torture awaiting death to release us from agonising pain and thirst/starvation. These terrified animals have been known to chew off/into their own limbs to try to escape - this is very WRONG and anyone who thinks it is OK needs their head testing!

These traps are not species-specific and other non-target animals such as pets and other wildlife have been caught in them. The break-back traps etc are not always INSTANT KILL because half the time they don't actually work or they trap the animal (for example) by the nose! Just because something is currently LEGAL it does not mean that it is RIGHT (just look at slavery!) Cruel, evil, metal jagged jaw leg-hold, spring hold/break back etc traps need BANNING ASAP! All cruel/evil/vile methods of controlling animals need to STOP in favour of sensible, viable alternatives - no more excuses!

Dear UK Parliament Ministers/DEFRA,

Whilst it is my understanding that sharp metal snares were banned for ethical reasons, due to the fact that they caused immeasurable suffering to the animals (target and non-target species) caught in them, the fact remains that the general UK population can still purchase various types of traps for domestic use. These include glue traps, spring back and leg hold mouse traps, not to mention one that I have only just found out about, which involved poisoning and drowning! I believe that poisoning an animal OR trapping an animal in such a way as to cause that animal to be TORTURED and subjected to a slow, lingering death cannot be justified under any circumstances! It is up to the individual who sets the trap to check it and I know that these traps are sometimes sold with instructions which SUGGEST that the traps are checked within 24 hours. However, no-one is ENFORCING this. Domesticated rats and mice are kept as pets and yet there's a double standard here in that they are also classed as PESTS and as such people treat them like garbage (literally). I once overheard someone in a pub talking about having caught a mouse in a trap. Not wanting or knowing how to kill it himself, he said he threw it (him/her) ALIVE over his garden fence still in the trap - that made me sick! These traps are sold in numerous 'Pound Shop' outlets, and I found out today that glue traps can be bought for as little as 50p, making them very accessible for anyone (with or without a heart) to do anything they like to a seemingly completely UNPROTECTED animal - just because he/she is classed as a 'pest'. Obviously we have to make sure these creatures do not get into our homes/workplaces etc and we must remove them once they get in but I want people to have/use the alternatives available. Poisoning and trapping is too cruel and thoughtless. I am not crazy - I do not think we should be overrun with these animals but the methods of control need to change. Mice/rats and other mammalian 'PESTS' deserve legal protection too!

Yours sincerely,

The UNDERSIGNED.