Ask Safeway to Stop Selling Glue Traps

Vons * Dominick's * Randalls * Tom Thumb * Carrs
Safeway, Inc. is currently selling two brands of glue traps in grocery stores. The trap manufacturers are d-Con and Victor; scans of their distinctive packaging can be seen below:

Mice and rats stuck in glue traps may pull off their own skin, rip out hair, chew off or break limbs and appendages in their attempts to break free. In their terror, trapped animals cover themselves with feces and urine. Animals unlucky enough to stick their faces in the glue may destroy their own eyeballs before slowly suffocating to death. Rats and mice can survive from three to five days stuck on a glue board, waiting for stress, dehydration, and starvation take the final toll.

In general, if you find a rodent stuck in a glue trap, use warm cooking oil to try and free the animal from the glue. The victim will require immediate veterinary intervention, and always use gloves when handing either traps or caught animals.

WARNING: Because certain manufacturers include chemicals in the glue that are harmful or even fatal to mammals (e.g. warfarin, a potent blood thinner) always assume glue traps are poisonous unless you know the source.
What can you do? Please write and ask Safeway to stop selling glue traps in their stores. If you are already a Safeway customer, let them know you will not shop in a grocery store that sells glue traps intended for rodents (e.g. include a photocopy of your 'Club Card', or the address of your favorite store.)
Mr. Brian Dowling
Vice President of Public Relations
Safeway, Inc.
5918 Stoneridge Mall Road
Pleasanton, CA 94588
  • Talking Points:
New Zealand is currently investigating glue traps, and the National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee (NAWAC) has recommended banning the devices:

http://www.maf.govt.nz/mafnet/press/131202traps.htm

In addition, the following animal welfare societies have spoken out against the use of glue traps, citing the extreme cruelty involved. The below list is, by necessity, incomplete. If you would like your organization to be included, just drop us a line.

United States:
American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA)
Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (MSPCA)
In Defense of Animals (IDA)

Australia:
Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals WA (RSPCA WA)

New Zealand:
Royal New Zealand Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RNZSPCA)

UK:
Animal Aid

Canada:
The Toronto Humane Society
Canadian Federation of Humane Societies


For further information about this important issue, we recommend reading:

  • Franz, S.C. & C.M. Padula, A Laboratory Test Method for Evaluating the Efficacy of Glueboards for Trapping House Mice, Vertebrate Pest Control and Management Materials: Fourth Symposium, American Society for Testing and Materials 209-225 (1983).