Found a live rat inside an old rat cage trap that had been in the garden for several years but was never baited or set. The silly rat has pushed the door open and climbed inside it. wirral council dont remove live rats. Cat was nosing around it this morning so have covered it over. Dont have the heart to kill it while trapped.. what you reckon?? Last ones i did few years ago were released . Wonder what RSPCA will say..

Release.

according to rspca...now my responsibility doh!

It is not unusual for rats to die in live catch traps and once such animals are confined in a trap the person setting the trap would have responsibility for their welfare - and must avoid causing unnecessary suffering and provide for their needs whilst captive. The risk of a rat dying in a trap intended to catch them alive may be reduced if the trap has a large holding condition and the traps are inspected fairly frequently.
We would not have an issue with a rat being caught in a live trap and then humanely dispatched by a competent person using a humane method. When caught the animal becomes a protected animal under the Animal Welfare Act but as long as it is dispatched in a humane manner by a competent person as soon as it is found, then it should not be a problem.
As far as we are aware there has been no study of the outcome of catching rats and releasing them elsewhere. Some other rodents such as dormice and red squirrels show very high mortality rates when translocated to an unfamiliar area. The same is probably likely to be true for various species of rats and mice. They will be unfamiliar with food sources and places of shelter. They may face aggression and competition from rats already occupying territory in the new area and are likely to be more vulnerable to predation.
Releasing rats singly may affect their survival prospects but retaining them in a trap until a number have been caught is also likely to adversely affect them.
Spring traps - Good quality, conventional break-back traps can be used but require care in using properly:
If a kill trap is used and the animal is still alive when found, then this creates more of a problem. Certain kill traps are very effective at killing quickly and therefore could be considered humane, but not all traps of the same design are effective in what they do.
The pros and cons of live-catch traps vs spring traps are also discussed in guidelines published by UFAW.
We would advise anyone considering these measures to employ a reputable pest control agency.

Remember: Once animals are confined in a trap or snare their welfare is governed by the Animal Welfare Act 2006. The person setting the trap has responsibility for their welfare and it is an offence to cause, or fail to prevent, unnecessary suffering to the animal.

Just let the poor thing go.

Let it go

Contact the local Conservative party. They are having a membership drive at the moment! and it could be PM one day!

HaHa! Ex. Like it. If its injured or looking sick Id kill it , or if its safely contained you could take it to a vet, they can euthanize it - free for wildlife I think although they dont advertize it . If its healthy, and you want it to live, take it to fields down somewhere similar to on the left down towards Mill hill crossroads where theres a barn maybe. Rats survive on anything edible , I cant imagine it would be short of food .

Tried UKIP as they have had a few leaving the ship lately. Any way.. The rspca say it must be got rid off "humanely" but dont give any clue as to what that means. So folks I thought long and hard how to humanely say goodbye to Roland. I had him (or her) listening to a nice piece of Beethoven as i drove him to his new home in the country. He scampered off seemingly none the worse for his period of confinement. Never said goodbye though. I confess i didnt buy a parking ticket either! Rebel Rebel

Be careful of Weil's disease Fish. It is transmitted via rat urine, and they pee all over the place.

A schoolmate of mine died of it. He had been playing in the brook that ran through our village. I think the initial symptoms are flu-like, so if you get flu I'd mention your relationship with Roland to the doctor, just to be on the safe side.

Brilliant.

Let it go.

Yes Thanks EX. Used to carry a card saying i was a fisherman and may have been in contact with dirty water.