A recent change in United Kingdom law has prohibited the use of glue traps without a pest control license, the BBC reported. Unfortunately, they are still available in stores, and the public has continued to use them. This recently led to the death of a robin, just one in a string of unnecessary wildlife deaths that the law was designed to prevent.
What's happening?
According to the BBC, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals' East Winch Wildlife Centre, near King's Lynn, Norfolk, received the living robin stuck to the glue trap after it flew into a house where the pest control device was in use. Personnel were unable to rescue the animal, and it died from its injuries.
We are heartbroken...This robin came in still attached to a glue trap. We did our best to help but sadly, he succumbed...
Posted by RSPCA East Winch Wildlife Centre on Sunday, October 5, 2025
Speaking to BBC Radio Norfolk, center manager Evangelos Achilleos called the robin's death "heartbreaking," per the BBC.
"Part of the challenge is that they're so freely available," said Achilleos of this type of glue trap. "It seems like a gray area — it is illegal for the public to be using them. You do need to have a license, but from a welfare perspective, these shouldn't be used at all."
He explained that when a bird is caught on these illegal traps, even if it can be freed, it can't survive in the wild afterward because of the feather damage caused by the adhesive.
The center has also seen other similar cases recently, including a pigeon and small mammals such as hedgehogs being stuck to these traps, which are designed to trap mice and rats.
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Why is the illegal use of glue traps important?
While one bird caught in a trap may not seem to have a significant impact on the environment, the problem is one of scale.
Thousands upon thousands of these traps are sold in stores, then left in areas where wildlife can access them. If even a small percentage of traps catch unintended animals such as songbirds, that can harm wildlife populations already stressed by habitat loss, the Earth's rising temperature, pesticide use, and other factors. The adhesive stays sticky for a long time, too, maximizing the chance that animals will be caught even after the trays are thrown away.
Plus, as Achilleos pointed out, these deaths are not humane; the RSPCA said, leading up to the change in the law last year, that the glue traps cause unnecessary suffering for the animals trapped, per the BBC.
What's being done about glue traps?
This new law in the U.K. is already striking a blow against those who illegally use glue traps. It allows for a penalty of up to six months in prison and an unlimited fine — a significant deterrent.
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Heck yes 👍 Meanwhile, Achilleos directed a personal plea to sellers who still stock glue traps in their stores. "Please remove these from your shelves to educate people to instigate change — the only way we can achieve anything is if we all work collaboratively together," he told the BBC.
Good Samaritans also try to help out where possible. A similar case of a bird stuck in a glue trap was recently caught on video.
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