RSPCA warning over glue boards as robins die in Swindon
The RSPCA is urging people never to buy or use glue traps after two robins in Wiltshire died after getting stuck.
A member of the public rushed the distressed birds to RSPCA North Wiltshire Oak & Furrows Wildlife Rescue Centre on Wednesday 17th March after they were discovered in Lydiard Millicent in Swindon.
Anj Saunders from the specialist wildlife rescue and rehabilitation facility near Cricklade said: “We managed to get them off the trap using coconut oil and butter, and tried our best to get the sticky glue off the feathers.
“We’d really hoped they’d survive but sadly they both died as a result of what they’d suffered.”
The RSPCA is opposed to the manufacture, sale and use of all glue traps because they cause unacceptable suffering to both the target species and other non-target species which fall victim to them.
Glue traps, also known as ‘glue boards’ or ‘sticky boards', consist of a sheet of cardboard, plastic or wood coated with non-drying adhesive.
Although it is legal to use them to catch rats and mice, it is an offence under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 to intentionally catch, kill or injure wild birds using glue traps, so anyone using these traps should take precautions to prevent causing death or injury to any non-target animals as these traps are indiscriminate.
Deterring rodents humanely
Remove food sources and ensure bins and containers are rodent-proof;
Plant repellents such as wood hyacinth, allium and daffodils can help keep rodents at bay;
De-clutter and keep storage areas tidy;
Rodents are neophobic (they fear change) so move garden furniture and objects around your garden to confuse and alarm them.
To find out more about the animal welfare charity’s Wild Animals and Glue Traps project or for more advice about living with rodents and how best to humanely deter them from your home and garden please visit the webpage
To report a live animal caught in a glue trap, contact the RSPCA’s cruelty line on 0300 1234 999.