Blue Mountains council will lobby the state government to ban animal glue traps because of the dangers they pose to native animals as well as the cruelty caused to non-native species.
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At the January council meeting, the mayor, Mark Greenhill, said the traps were "cruel and unnecessary" for managing pest species and had also caused "great harm" to native species.
He said traps for rats and mice used adhesive on top of large pieces of cardboard with food in the middle to entice the animals.
But WIRES had told him that native animals such as birds, possums, gliders, antechinuses and bandicoots also get caught in the traps.
And even the targeted animals suffered, he said.
"They panic and struggle. This causes them to become even more stuck. The glue tears off fur, feathers and skin... It is cruel and inhumane for native and non-native animals."
Cr Greenhill noted that animal glue traps are banned entirely in Victoria, Tasmania and the ACT.:
"They cannot be sold, purchased or used," he said.
He also raised the issue of insect traps - the long strips of sticky paper hung to catch flies and other insects. Cr Greenhill said these regularly trap small native birds and microbats.
He said Victorian laws allowed insect traps but they must have a cage, cover or other barrier to stop animals touching the sticky surface.
Council voted unanimously to write to the NSW environment minister, James Griffin, attorney-general Mark Speakman and Blue Mountains MP, Trish Doyle, asking that NSW legislation relating to both animal and insect traps be amended to the same humane level as that of other states.
