The house mouse has lived alongside humans for thousands of years, occupying an ambiguous welfare space as both a common pest subject to lethal control and a wild animal with genuine welfare needs.
House mouse welfare in pest control contexts is largely invisible - the status of 'pest' removes most consideration of the animal's capacity to suffer. Glue traps are among the most demonstrably cruel control methods available, causing prolonged suffering through dehydration, exhaustion, and self-injury as mice struggle to escape. Their use in the UK is being increasingly questioned, with several major retailers voluntarily removing them from sale. Integrated pest management approaches that prioritise proofing and exclusion over lethal control are both more welfare-positive and often more effective in the long term.