Is it Legal for me to Trap a Rodent?

Is it Legal for me to Trap a Rodent? The law is different in every country. The few coasts in New Zealand, some portion of Alberta, Canada, Antarctica, and the Arctic regions, do not have any rodents. These places are the exceptions. However, on the other parts of the world, many people have to deal with mice, rats, and other pests that enter their homes.

In the US

In the United States, most jurisdictions not only allow you to kill rodents, they usually require you. Since they can be destructive when left unchecked, you should get rid of them as soon as possible. Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virginia actually have licensed exterminators that can remove pests in houses, buildings, and other areas. However, they prohibit the use of glue and snap traps. They actually encourage the relocation of rodents especially those with entire families intact. The law exempts those rats that can be found on cornfields, house mice, and rice rats. This only applies to chipmunks and squirrels. You are also allowed to keep a dog or a cat for rat control. However, the organization PETA or People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals prohibits the hunt of rodents for sport. The rat poison is packaged in such a way that children and pets will have difficulty getting access to it. It is also not recommended to use poison to get rid of rodents.



In Canada

In Canada, a lot of states including Calgary, Yukon, Nunavut and Northwest Territories are infested by rats. It is even authorized to shoot rats that enter your house. Rats are more aggressive in Canada. They are able to swim back to a household even if they are thrown 2 miles from it. They also carry a lot of diseases and acquire fleas and ticks. They are very territorial in nature. They tend to go back to the original location where they are caught so getting rid of them in a humane way is no longer possible. However, you can get rid of the rats during winter. Snow will keep them from coming back inside your house. Rats can die of hypothermia when they are exposed to extreme weather conditions outside.

In Australia

In the continent of Australia, about 60 species of rats can be found. They are also very invasive. Rats can usually be found in grain, corn or sugarcane fields. The floods in the summer season can make rats go to the neighboring houses for food and shelter. The regulations in Australia asked the people to differentiate an invasive rat from a native rat. Native rats are considered to be part of the land and are usually harmless. Only invasive rats need to be killed. They commonly use poison made of zinc phosphide to kill rats. The anticoagulant poisons break down quickly. They do not generally affect people, pets, and children. In Australia’s neighboring country of New Zealand, they usually permit poisons. They also use rat zapper traps and other deterrents to kill rats.


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