Yorktown should ban glue traps

Dear Editor,

I’m writing about a concept that most good people agree about - it's wrong to cause senseless suffering to animals. This is especially true if the suffering is intense, non-stop and prolonged - the type of suffering caused by a glue trap.

There are many other methods for rodent management and the best ones, like maximum cleanliness, all trash in sealed bins and sealing holes with steel wool, are often neglected. Available food makes rodents stay and reproduce.

Other strategies include a repellent called Plantskydd (all natural) which mimics predator behavior, mint sprays and pouches, and ultrasonic plug-in devices. If traps are needed, then more humane ones exist.

Animals are terrified when stuck and their agony is often worsened by injured organs, broken bones and chewed limbs from attempts to escape. Suffering can last for days until the animal dies from dehydration, suffocation, or by struggling itself to death. Furthermore, glue traps routinely brutalize birds, small mammals and reptiles.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the NYS Department of Health advise against glue traps because panicked, trapped rodents urinate and bleed, increasing human exposure to pathogens.

Many countries and territories have banned glue traps. In addition, hundreds of entities, such as the NYPD, JPMorgan Chase, Google, American Eagle Outfitters, over 100 airports in America, and many more, will not use glue traps. In addition, stores like CVS, Target, Walgreens and others discontinued sales of glue traps.

I would love to see Yorktown show how forward-thinking we are and ban the sale and use of glue traps.

Ulster County recently enacted a partial ban. In the meantime, state residents can contact their assemblymembers and senators and ask them to co-sponsor S3046C/A10189B, legislation that would stop the use of glue traps in New York State-owned and leased buildings.

James Scotto, Yorktown Heights