Pop Goes The News — Canadian retailer RONA is being targeted by animal advocacy organization PETA for selling mouse glue traps.

“Glue traps are some of the most dreadful products on the market, causing immense and prolonged suffering,” reads an Action Alert posted by PETA.

“Victims often rip themselves to pieces in their frantic struggles to escape the sticky mess. Exhausted and terrified, they succumb to shock, dehydration, asphyxiation, or blood loss—and death can take days.”

PETA says RONA agreed to stop selling glue traps in 2010 but “it has started selling them again and refuses to stop.”

PETA is urging Canadians to contact RONA and demand the chain “stop selling cruel glue traps for good!”

The RONA website offers three different glue traps, including one named “Hold-Fast.”

No one from RONA was available to comment on the PETA campaign.

It’s not clear why the animal rights organization is focusing on RONA when all of the Quebec-based chain’s competitors also sell glue traps, including Canadian Tire, Home Depot, Home Hardware and Lowe’s.

PETA says Health Canada has warned against using the traps because pathogens in the excrement of captured rodents can cause disease.

Information posted in 2009 by Health Canada states: “Use only snap traps. Glue traps and live traps should not be used. These traps can scare the caught live mice and cause them to urinate. This may increase your chances of getting sick.”

But another government website tells Canadians that “glue traps are also available and can be used with or without bait.”