How to Use a Humane Animal Trap
Havahart Traps Catch "Pests" Like Mice, Rats, Rabbits, Raccoons
Many of the products and traps used to catch pests and vermin like mice, rats, squirrels and other bothersome wild animals also pose a danger to children and pets.
People who use poisons and lethal traps to catch nuisance animals and pests not only put pets and children at risk of illness, injury or even death; they also must deal with the unpleasant task of handling and disposing of a dead animal. Improper disposal of a dead animal can lead to unfortunate situations where a neighborhood or household pet ingests the animal's remains, leading to a potentially-deadly secondary poisoning incident or the transmission of disease and/or parasites.
Fortunately, trapping a mouse in the house, a rabbit in the garden or a raccoon that keeps raiding the garbage cans doesn't need to lead to the animal's death; humane no-kill animal traps are effective, inexpensive and easy-to-use.
Why Should I Use a Humane Animal Trap?
Humane animal traps, like the Havahart trap (pronounced "have-a-heart"), have many advantages over rat and mouse poison and lethal traps like traditional mouse traps, glue traps and traps containing poison.
- Humane animal traps are reusable; this saves money in the long-term.
- There is no need to handle or dispose of a dead animal, thereby preventing the spread of disease and parasites to humans and pets.
- Humane animal traps are very effective, particularly when it comes to trapping larger nuisance animals like raccoons.
- Pets are not put at risk of a deadly accident. If a neighborhood cat gets caught in a trap, he can be released, unharmed. Whereas if a cat ingests a mouse that's been poisoned, the cat could fall fatally ill.
In addition, traditional rat poisons are often ineffective. Rats in particular have evolved to avoid death from rat poison. Rats are hesitant to try new foods, and when they do try a new food, they'll try just a tiny bit, only returning to eat more if they do not fall ill. This helps the rat avoid death from rat poison.
Tips for Using a Humane Animal Trap
For best animal trapping results, it's recommended to use the proper trap size and the proper bait in order to trap the correct animal. Havahart traps come in an array of sizes, and the Havahart trap website includes recommendations for what trap size is best for certain animals, in addition to bait recommendations.
When using a Havahart trap or other similar box trap, it's important to check the trap frequently as an animal can die if left without access to food and water for an extended period of time.
In addition, the humane animal trap should not be placed in a location that's likely to harm the trapped animal, such as a spot in direct afternoon sunlight on a hot summer day.
What Do I Do Once I've Caught the Animal in a Havahart Trap?
Once the pest or nuisance animal is caught inside the humane box trap, there are two options.
If caught indoors, the animal can be released outside.
The trapped animal can also be relocated to a more suitable location if there's evidence to suggest that the animal may re-enter the building or in the case of a nuisance animals that are trapped outdoors. Animal Control can often assist in relocating nuisance animals to a more ideal location.
Where Can I Find a Humane Box Trap?
Humane animal traps can be purchased at hardware stores and at home improvement stores.
Typically, humane box traps can also be borrowed or rented from animal shelters, humane societies/organizations and animal control.
Glue Traps: A Deadly Choice for Catching Pests Like Rats and Mice
Many well-intentioned individuals will purchase a glue trap, assuming it's a non-lethal method to catch a pest or nuisance animal like a rat or mouse.
Unfortunately, this assumption that glue mouse traps are humane is incorrect. Glue traps are deadly and inhumane; arguably more inhumane than a traditional mouse trap which kills the animal instantly in most cases.
Many people assume that the animal can be removed from the glue trap and set free. Unfortunately, the glue used in these traps is extremely sticky and as the animal struggles, he will become tightly adhered to the sticky pad. It is virtually impossible to remove an animal from a glue trap. And to make matters worse, death does not come quickly for an animal stuck on a glue trap, making it an inhumane option for pest control.
To learn more about the dangers that rat poison poses to pets, read Did My Dog Eat Rat Poison?
A Humane Box Trap for Non-Lethal Animal Trapping
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