Rodent control is necessary in many settings but commonly uses methods causing significant animal suffering. Humane alternatives are available and often more effective long-term.
Rodent control in homes and businesses routinely uses methods that cause prolonged suffering without being particularly effective. Glue traps are considered the most welfare-compromising common control method: rodents caught on adhesive boards may struggle for hours or days, causing self-inflicted injuries, hypothermia, and death from dehydration or exhaustion. Rodenticides cause internal bleeding over days. Electronic kill traps that deliver a high-voltage shock cause rapid death and are considered more humane by welfare organizations. But the most welfare-positive approach is prevention through exclusion — sealing entry points with steel wool, hardware mesh, and sealant to prevent rodents accessing buildings in the first place.