Be kinder to rats (From Oxford Mail)

Be kinder to rats

10:00am Thursday 24th February 2011 in Letters

RATS are becoming an increasingly common sight in Oxford.

Understandably, many people don’t want rats anywhere near their houses, but some Oxford residents are using, shall we say, not the most humane methods to get rid of them. Glue traps, usually flat trays coated with adhesive, trap animals which are then subject to starvation and dehydration if not found.

Some animals have been known to chew off their own limbs when attempting to escape.

Poison, another alternative, affects rats’ nervous systems and causes convulsions before the animals finally succumb to the effects of the toxin.

So what’s the answer? Humane rodent traps allow animals to be captured without harm and they can then be released into non-populated areas. No animal deserves to die a slow, stressful death.

Will Wright Four Paws UK charity London