Is It Legal to Trap Rats?

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It surely is. Rats are a horrendous pest, and it is legal to eliminate them in all 50 US states. I wish rat poisons were illegal, but we’re not quite there yet.



While all forms of disposing of black rats (Rattus rattus) and brown rats (Rattus norvegicus) are legal in the US, and people are actually encouraged – or even required by some jurisdictions – to handle rat invasion by all means necessary, be careful to not step over the line. Training dogs to hunt rats just for sport may be illegal in your area, and for good reason. Other than this, I can’t think of another rat disposal method that could get you in trouble with the law, except for maybe hurting or killing a neighbor’s pet, or another human being, while attempting to get rid of your rat problem.

Although trapping a rat is legal, this doesn’t mean everyone out there is a trap master, and will be able to trap rats willy-nilly. Poisons and glue traps are also legal, but they are ineffective, borderline inhumane, and a sure way to add even more problems to your already existing rat misfortune. Efficient rat trapping requires a comprehension of rat behavior and biology. Either you’re planning on trapping rats by using a live exclusion one-way door cage, a one-way funnel, or a lethal snap trap – from which I always recommend the latter – you will still have to successfully complete all the other steps that come with accomplishing permanent rat removal: home inspection, home repair, trapping, removal, and decontamination.

For all the information you need to have about rat trapping, these pages stand at your disposal. If you’re looking for a pro to take care of the problem for you – which is always a smart choice – you can check my up-to-date directory of pest removal experts. For more information, you may want to click on one of these guides that I wrote:
How much does rat removal cost? - get the lowdown on prices.
How to get rid of rats - my main rat removal info guide.
Example rat trapping photographs - get do-it-yourself ideas.
Rat job blog - learn from great examples of rat jobs I've done.