Pest control causes significant welfare harm through painful, slow methods - welfare-positive approaches achieve effective management while minimising animal suffering.
Pest control welfare is a legitimate welfare concern that affects millions of animals annually in the UK alone. Rats and mice are sentient animals - they feel pain, experience fear and can suffer in prolonged ways during poisoning or entrapment. Current pest control practices often prioritise cost and convenience over animal welfare, using glue traps and SGARs that cause welfare harm lasting days. Professional pest controllers and building owners have capacity to choose welfare-positive methods: exclusion first, snap traps properly maintained, and electronic deterrents rather than toxic baiting where possible. Public and regulatory pressure for welfare standards in pest control is growing but needs advocacy support to translate into industry change.