“Evildoers are snared by their own transgression, but the righteous sing and rejoice.” —Proverbs 29:6
The Christian path is rife with snares. The good news is that God’s grace trains us to be vigilant, self-controlled, and upright. But even though He offers us salvation in the midst of our transgressions, we must still take care not to fall into the trap of sin.
Mice, birds, lizards, snakes, and other small, precious animals created and loved by God also fear snares, especially glue traps—cruel devices that inflict immense suffering and death on countless individuals created by God.
Glue traps are small boards made of cardboard, fiberboard, or plastic and coated with a sticky adhesive. These cruel traps ensnare any small animal who wanders across or lands on them.
Animals trapped in the glue panic and struggle, which causes them to become even more helplessly stuck. Often, the glue tears off their fur, feathers, or skin. Some break bones or even chew off their own limbs in a desperate attempt to escape. And some animals’ noses, mouths, or beaks get stuck in the glue, leading to suffocation, which can take hours.
But there are humane and superior alternatives. You and your church community can help spare more animals unimaginable suffering with two simple, compassionate steps. First, commit to never using glue traps in your church, community facilities, or home. Second, ask your church leaders to share the humane household tip and adorable image below and our comprehensive fact sheet in their newsletter or weekly missal or on their social media pages:
Protect God’s most vulnerable animals with this humane household tip! Did you know that glue traps cause immense, prolonged suffering for unsuspecting animals, leaving them to die of shock, starvation, dehydration, or bleeding out, which can take days? Desperate animals often chew off their own limbs in a futile attempt to get away. As loving guardians of creation, join our parish in pledging never to use glue traps and opt for humane alternatives instead.
If you encounter an animal who’s stuck to a glue trap, place a few drops of cooking oil or baby oil between the glue and the animal and gently work them free. Be sure to keep oil use to a minimum—otherwise, oiled animals can die from exposure later on. While removing the animal from the glue, slide tissue or paper underneath freed body parts to prevent them from getting stuck again. Once free, active and alert rodents can be released outdoors during good weather within a one-block radius of where they were discovered. Lethargic or imperiled animals or ones caught during extreme weather should be rushed to a local veterinarian or wildlife rehabilitator. You can also call PETA at 757-622-7382 for advice.
Take action now! Learn more about how to help prevent God’s animals from becoming cruelly ensnared in horrific glue traps by using proven humane rodent-control methods.
If your church has agreed to ban glue traps, please let us know at [email protected]. We would love to highlight this compassionate choice and inspire others to make the same kind decision.
