The winds of change are blowing through San Francisco's approach to pest control, as the San Francisco Commission of Animal Control and Welfare voted to recommend a citywide ban on the sale and use of glue traps. This type of trap, known for the suffering it inflicts upon animals, may soon be history in the city if the Board of Supervisors heeds the Commission's advice. WildCare, a local wildlife organization, shared that they've admitted nearly 50 victims of glue traps in the past two years alone, including various birds and mammals.
Glue traps have been under scrutiny due to the prolonged agony they cause to trapped animals, often leading to starvation and severe injury in their attempts to escape. Both PETA and WildCare have been vocal in their criticism, noting the traps' failure as a humane form of pest control. WildCare's Director of Communications Alison Hermance highlighted the distress caused by these traps, saying, per WildCare, "Glue traps are one of the most heart-wrenching—and preventable—reasons for patients to be admitted to WildCare's Wildlife Hospital."
In their push for this ban, the Commission has considered animal welfare and public health implications. Not only do the traps cause unnecessary animal suffering, but they also pose health risks, as animals stuck in the traps can excrete bodily fluids that attract disease-carrying insects, according to a draft letter from the San Francisco Commission of Animal Control and Welfare. Furthermore, the CDC has discouraged using glue traps for these reasons. If the ban continues, San Francisco would join West Hollywood and Ojai, becoming the third-largest U.S. city to outlaw glue traps.
