We live in a very legalistic society. People sue over the absolute stupidest reasons imaginable. The saddest part about it is that they went. This is how a woman who spells hot coffee on herself winds up getting paid when she’s the one who is foolish enough to spell it.
It also means that there are legislatures and city councils all over the country who have nothing better to do can create laws that ban or restrict people from being able to do certain things. While these laws may seem like they are ridiculous for the most part, they usually have some kind of merit to them that is based on an issue that is important for the community as a whole.
For example, it may seem silly to ban people from killing bats, but the truth of the matter is that these animals are endangered in some areas and so they must be protected so that they do not become extinct. You may not like bats, but they serve an important role within the ecosystem and so it is important for their survival.
Knowing this, you may wonder if it’s legal for you to be able to trap a rodent? The answer to that is a little more complicated than you may think.
For the vast majority of rodents you face no issue with this at all. You can trap a rat, mouse, or squirrel without any problems from any government agency whatsoever. These are animals that are basically a dime a dozen, meaning that there are likely thousands of them that live within your community. The loss of one squirrel or a bunch of mice simply isn’t of issue to your local government.
However, when you are talking about a possum or a raccoon the law may be a little different. This is not true everywhere, but in some areas of the country it is illegal for you to hunt these animals because at times in the country’s history these animals have been close to extinction in some areas of the country. Raccoons really fit into this category.
As settlers moved across the country, raccoons became a vital commodity to help keep the country moving along. Whether you are talking about using these animals for food or for clothing, raccoons were hunted into near extinction in many areas of America. As a result, several laws have been written to protect this species of rodent from being hunted or trapped. Thus, if you trap a raccoon you may find yourself paying a hefty fine and even going to jail.
If you have a rodent that has gotten into your home or is creating a nuisance around your property and you wish to trap it is to get rid of it, then the sensible thing to do would be to check with your government agency first to see if there is any law that makes it illegal to do so. Calling the local animal control should provide you with this information.
Read more:
Rat Control,
Get Rats Out of the Attic,
Rat Trapping,
Rats in the Ceiling,
Rat Feces.
