Melissa Kite Melissa Kite

Wanted: a trap for a happy mouse

The rodent’s rights must be protected

Cruel to be kind: a live mouse trap. [Eva-Foreman/iStock] 
issue 22 October 2022

‘Excuse me, I’m looking for something to catch a mouse that won’t cause it any distress,’ said the young chap who had walked into the hardware cabin at the farm shop with his girlfriend.

The pair of them had briefly perused the shelves where the well assorted pest control items were neatly stacked and, not seeing what it was they were looking for, they had approached the counter where the owner and I were having a chat.

We were setting the world to rights, as usual, as he put through a bottle of floor cleaner for me, and we had come to the conclusion we always do, which was that we wanted to get away from it, whatever it was. But even if we knew what it was, where should we go to get away from it? Right on cue, the voice of today spoke to clarify at least half of this conundrum.

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