We’ve Joined Forces with The Fur-Bearers to Ban Cruel Glue Traps—Starting with British Columbia

Glue traps are among the cruelest pest control devices still legally sold and used in Canada. These trays, coated with a strong adhesive, are designed to trap any animal that comes into contact with the surface—leaving them immobilized and exposed. Victims often suffer for hours or even days before dying from dehydration, starvation, or self-inflicted injuries while trying to escape.

The suffering is immense—not just for the intended targets like mice or insects, but also for non-target animals. Birds, bats, reptiles, squirrels, and even companion animals are routinely caught in glue traps. The Wildlife Rescue Association of British Columbia treats hundreds of such cases annually. The BC SPCA has spoken out against glue traps, and the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association opposes glue traps, stating that they do not meet the scientific criteria for humaneness.

Thankfully, change is within reach.  The Fur-Bearers,  a BC-based charity focused on protecting fur-bearing animals through advocacy, education, and research, have launched an initiative calling on the BC government to ban glue traps. We’re proud to have supported this initiative by providing the legal research that helped shape their formal briefing note to the Ministry of Environment and Parks.

BC Residents—Take Action Now: Tell BC to Ban Cruel Glue Traps

Public and political support is growing. In 2024, the Union of BC Municipalities passed a resolution urging a province-wide ban on the use and sale of glue traps. A May 2025 public opinion poll commissioned by The Fur-Bearers found that a majority of British Columbians oppose glue trap use. Meanwhile, various jurisdictions including England, New Zealand, Germany, and some US cities have already implemented bans or restrictions.

The science and the sentiment are clear: glue traps are not a humane or effective solution to pest control, but they are a source of immense and unnecessary suffering.

Our Role: Legal Research for Real World Change

At AEL Advocacy, we believe in using the law as a tool to drive meaningful change for animals and the environment. As part of our commitment to supporting grassroots advocacy, we conducted a legal analysis for the Fur-Bearers which examined various legislative and regulatory options for the BC government to enact a ban on glue traps.

Our research explored the legislative and regulatory mechanisms available to the provincial government and concluded that the government already has the authority to act—what’s needed now is political will.

Want Help with Similar Legal Questions?

Our work on glue traps is just one example of how legal research can support grassroots advocacy. If you have questions about Canadian environmental or animal law, we invite you to contact us. Through our free Animal and Environmental Law Inquiry Service, we assist organizations with the legal insight needed to turn ideas into action. 

Please Note: While our lawyers are licensed in Ontario, we are permitted to provide limited legal services in other provinces under the National Mobility Agreement, subject to specific conditions. Our research for The Fur-Bearers on this initiative in British Columbia was conducted in accordance with these rules.

Amplify our Demand

We need your voice to help end the use of glue traps in BC. Please take two minutes to email the Minister of Environment using The Fur-Bearers’ online letter tool. Public pressure can—and has—moved governments to act.

✉️ Email the Minister now! (For BC residents only)

Together, we can help ensure that no animal suffers needlessly in the name of pest control.