Latest news with #Tomcat
Business Insider
18-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Business Insider
Iran's F-14 Tomcats are the last of their kind. Israel's been blowing some of them up.
The F-14 Tomcat, made famous by the "Top Gun" films and its storied history with the US Navy, is a dying breed. Long since retired by the US military, Iran is the only remaining operator. Israel, however, has been blowing some of them up lately as it targets Iran's military capabilities and nuclear and missile programs. In the 1986 "Top Gun" film, Lt. Pete "Maverick" Mitchell, played by actor Tom Cruise, buzzes the tower, launches off aircraft carriers, and dogfights hostile MiGs in an F-14. And in the 2022 sequel, the jet returns for an intense fight against advanced enemy jets. Hollywood hype for the aircraft aside, the Tomcat, an air superiority fighter made by US aerospace and defense company Northrop Grumman, is a celebrated combat aircraft within the Navy. First introduced in the 1970s, it was a highly capable aircraft that saw use in conflicts from Vietnam to the Middle East. The US Navy retired the last of its F-14s in 2006 following the introduction of Boeing's carrier-based F/A-18 Super Hornet, a multi-role aircraft considered easier to maintain. Once allies, the US sold F-14s to Iran in the mid-1970s, before revolution upended relations and support. Iran has managed to keep some operational despite US sanctions and attempts to stop Iran from obtaining parts. These jets are now coming under fire, though. On Monday, the Israel Defense Forces shared footage of a strike on two F-14s at an airport in Tehran. 🛫 Strike on two F-14 fighter jets that were located at an airport in Tehran. These jets were intended to intercept Israeli aircraft. ❌ Thwarted a UAV launch attempt toward Israel. 🎯 Eliminated a launch cell minutes before launch… — Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) June 16, 2025 Just how many Iran F-14s Iran has left is unclear, though the fleet is believed to be fairly limited. The jets hit by Israel appear to have been unflyable, but their parts may have been key to keeping Iran's remaining ones in the sky. Canibalization of parts is not uncommon when logistics and supply lines are strained. An iconic American jet Richard Aboulafia, an aviation expert and the managing director of AeroDynamic Advisory, told Business Insider that when the F-14 was introduced, it was "incredibly cutting edge and held numerous records for years to come." Iran's jets, he said, are "kind of a time capsule." Aboulafia characterized them as "ghosts of the Cold War." The US wanted interceptor aircraft that could counter the Soviet Union's long-range bombers and the increasing threat of long-range missiles. That need gave birth to the F-14, built to replace the F-4 Phantom II made by McDonnell Douglas. The new jet came with an advanced radar, the ability to track multiple targets, and adjustable wings. The Tomcat was also the only aircraft at the time that could carry the AIM-54 Phoenix long-range air-to-air missile, which could hit targets at 100 nautical miles, far beyond visual range. Being able to make long-range air-to-air kills was critical at a time when the US needed to protect aircraft carriers from bombers. The US first deployed the F-14 during Operation Frequent Wind, flying combat air patrols during the evacuation of Saigon at the end of the Vietnam War in 1975. The Tomcat scored its first combat kills with the US Navy in 1981 against Libyan Su-22s. It conducted air defense missions during Operation Desert Storm in 1991. The fighter later saw more combat in Iraq and Afghanistan as well. The jet's advanced features and use in some of the US's most important campaigns makes them a key piece of US military aviation history. The "Top Gun" films then elevated the plane in popular culture. The US Tomcats that didn't last The Tomcats were impressive planes, but the F-14s faced problems with expensive spare parts and high maintenance needs. The Navy also wanted a more versatile aircraft. The Super Hornet that succeeded the Tomcat was intended to bring improved features, reduced maintenance load, and the ability to execute air-to-ground strikes, as well as engage in air-to-air combat. The US Navy had many of the jets scrapped, but it has some inoperable models on display at Florida's National Naval Aviation Museum and New York's Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum. The end of the US F-14 program left Iran as the only nation that had them in service. The US went out of its way to cripple Iran's F-14 program, destroying aircraft, implementing sanctions, and choking off the supply of F-14 parts that it needed to keep the jets flying. Iran's F-14s Iran acquired a total of 79 F-14 Tomcats from the US before the 1979 Islamic Revolution, so Iran had the jets when the Iran-Iraq War started in 1980, with Iran using them in pursuit of air superiority and for air defense. Iran said its F-14s shot down more than 100 Iraqi aircraft. When the US cut off support and spare parts for Iran's F-14s. Iran developed its own maintenance capabilities and found black market solutions, but Iran's F-14 numbers dwindled as time went on. Aboulafia said that Iran uses the jets almost as Airborne Warning and Control System aircraft, which help air forces with surveillance and command and control, "because of the power of that radar." He called it "the best tool they had to see aerial threats." Iran does not have a strong air force, with its force made up of obsolete Western, Soviet, and Chinese aircraft. The Tomcat "was really the only thing that Iranians could have flown to have threatened some of the Israeli airstrikes," retired US Army Maj. Gen. Gordon "Skip" Davis, the former deputy assistant secretary-general for NATO's defense-investment division, told Business Insider. "Not really the F-35s, but the F-15s," he said. "And so I think it was a very, to me, brilliant move to focus on them early on." With limited airpower, Iran is heavily dependent on ground-based air defenses, which the Israelis are also systematically wiping out. Israel says that it has achieved air superiority over Iran, meaning that Iran's ability to stop Israel in its airspace is limited. Israel flies advanced jets like its unique F-35Is. Iran said earlier this year that it had purchased Russian-made Sukhoi-35 fighter jets, but when, and if, those could arrive is unclear.
Yahoo
16-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Iranian F-14 ‘Persian Tomcats' Obliterated In Israeli Airstrike
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) posted infrared targeting camera footage of a pair of F-14A Tomcat fighters being destroyed by air-to-ground munitions as they sat outside hardened aircraft shelters at Mehrabad International Airport in Tehran. The strikes were part of Israel's broadening campaign to dismantle Iran's air defense capabilities for good, which includes destroying the Iranian Air Force's fixed-wing fleet. Since the conflict began, I have been posting on social media how this would likely mark the end of the F-14's operational career. Iran has continued to maintain a small cadre of flyable F-14s two decades after the U.S. Navy — the type's only other operator — put the Tomcat out to pasture. — Tyler Rogoway (@Aviation_Intel) June 14, 2025 The Israeli campaign to neuter Iran's air defenses in their totality is a major component of the broader air operation. Not only will it allow Israel to operate freely over Iran as it attempts to destroy the country's nuclear and long-range weapons programs, but it will also likely allow Israel to continue to access Iranian skies long after the core mission ends. This will be critical to ensuring Iran does not reconstitute its nuclear or long-range missile programs. This means destroying all aspects of the country's air defenses, including the regime's rickety fighter force. I actually made a post on X about the two Tomcats in question, just a couple of days ago. These aircraft have been sitting outside the hardened aircraft shelters at the airbase connected to Tehran's international airport for years. Tomcats have provided quick reaction alert (QRA) coverage for Tehran in the past, along with other types, but their main station is the 8th Tactical Air Base at Isfahan. These two jets were in non-flyable condition, as are the vast majority of the survivors of the 79 F-14As delivered to the Shah of Iran back in the 1970s. Then there are these two outcasts that have been baking out there for a few years…. — Tyler Rogoway (@Aviation_Intel) June 14, 2025 Cannibalizing airframes to keep a small number airworthy has been an ongoing practice since not long after the U.S. embargoed all support for Iran's F-14s many decades ago. Since then, Iran has been incredibly resourceful in developing its own support programs for the notoriously complex jets and smuggling components needed to keep some of them in the air. This has also come at great cost just to keep an aircraft with diminishing capabilities in the air. Regardless, Iran's dilapidated air force didn't put up much of a fight against the IAF in the opening waves of Israel's attack, at least that we know about. We also haven't heard of the IRAF flying sorties in the east of the country, as Israel worked to gain air superiority. The threat resident primarily in ground-based air defenses, but still, eliminating Iran's tactical jet fleet once and for all is clearly a major goal. Israel has bombed hardened aircraft shelters at multiple bases in order to ensure this. Imagery from Iran's Hamdan Airbase reveals significant damage after Israel's recent airstrikes – multiple aircraft shelters are compromised alongside cratering on the taxiway & runway — Damien Symon (@detresfa_) June 15, 2025 In the end, it isn't clear exactly how many F-14s remained flyable, let alone operationally relevant in a mission-capable sense, towards the end. Estimates have ranged wildly from a small handful to around 25 in recent years. You can read our report about a single IRAF F-14 that attempted to participate in the flying program at an Iranian airshow here. It's also worth noting that, despite various efforts to upgrade the jets locally and to add new capabilities, the Iranian F-14s suffered some high-profile issues throughout their eventful service in Iran, which included the bloody Iran-Iraq war. As we discussed in the past: '[The] F-14's once-state-of-the-art AN/AWG-9 fire control radar has suffered from low serviceability, with the Tomcat fleet effectively being divided between those with fully functioning radars and those with more diminished capabilities. The current status of any surviving AIM-54 Phoenix and AIM-7 Sparrow air-to-air missiles is also a matter of debate, and Iranian programs to introduce alternative weaponry for the F-14 have had only very mixed results, as you can read more about here.' The type was slated for replacement, with Russian Su-35s being the long-rumored candidate to do so. This aircraft would be a quantum leap in capability over the old 'Persian Cats,' but they will not capture the mystique and public fascination of the F-14. In the meantime, it appears that the Su-35s once seen to be earmarked for Iran, or at least some of them, have been exported to another Russian client, Algeria, instead. So it seems clear at this point that if Iran ends up with any air force at all after this is all over, it is very unlikely to include the Tomcat, marking a final end to nearly five-and-a-half decades of continuous service. Contact the author: Tyler@
CNET
16-05-2025
- General
- CNET
This Humane Spray Is the Only Thing that Keeps Mice Out of My House
CNET's expert staff reviews and rates dozens of new products and services each month, building on more than a quarter century of expertise. The best way to keep a rodent infestation at bay might surprise you. It certainly surprised me. David Watsky/CNET Mice roaming your home is never a good thing. As adorable as their twitchy noses and big ears may be, these little freeloaders are known to nibble on cords, snack on your pantry stash, and leave less-than-charming surprises on your counters and floors. If you've got a gang of whiskered invaders turning your home into their personal Airbnb, don't panic—I've discovered a magical, totally humane, non-toxic trick to evict them. A few years back when the mouse situation in my Brooklyn apartment hit "full-blown invasion" status, I tried everything from lockdown-level food storage to an army of traps. But guess what actually worked like a charm? A humble $18 peppermint spray. That's right—just a few spritzes of this minty miracle, and my home has been a rodent-free zone for over a year. No squeaks, no mess, no drama. Just minty fresh peace. For a detailed breakdown, here are the various methods I used for getting rid of mice, ranked from worst to first. The best and worst ways to get rid of mice 5. Tomcat Bait Station Poison bait stations were the least effective method I tried. Tomcat Poison bait traps represented my third attempt. These devices lure mice in with an enticing smell and offer a block of green, edible bait that's laced with poison. These didn't work at all. I never found so much as a nibble taken from the bait block. And the more I thought about it, these posed a far crueler fate for my unwanted intruders than even snap traps. They also mean dead and decaying mice scattered about your home. Cost: $5 on Amazon. $5 on Amazon. Grade: F. Read more: Keep Bugs Out of Your Kitchen With These Common Houseplants 4. Starvation My first attempt was to remove temptation by overcleaning the kitchen. It worked to some degree, but this infestation required greater firepower. Sarah Tew/CNET My first approach was to starve the mice out by sealing up food as best I could and overcleaning the kitchen after every trip. It worked to a degree and I noticed fewer encounters, but my kitchen doubles as a busy meal-kit testing site; try as I might to keep food bits and odors from lingering for more than a few minutes, there's only so much one can do. Cost: None. None. Grade: C-plus. 3. Humane traps I caught several mice with these humane traps but not enough to stem the tide coming from next door. David Watsky/CNET Next, I tried humane traps at the puppy-eyed request of my partner, a dyed-in-the-wool pacifist. These contraptions work by luring mice into the hull with food; when they enter, their weight triggers a door, trapping them inside. Then, it's on you to release the live mice, preferably far away so that they don't come back -- mice have a famously good sense of smell and direction -- and hope they become someone else's problem. I set two, and they worked as advertised. I caught a mouse every few nights but it did little to dissuade others from following in their footsteps. Plus, having to relocate a mouse five blocks away every other morning got old fast. Cost: $10 (two-pack) on Amazon $10 (two-pack) on Grade: B-minus. 2. Classic snap traps Snap traps captured a lot of mice but did nothing to keep more from following behind. David Watsky/CNET Snap traps were the most efficient at stopping the parade of hungry freeloaders. Unlike the trapdoor traps, these mousetraps do kill the mice but they do so with merciful efficiency. The snap traps worked well and I caught more mice than I can count, but still more came. And these devices posed a danger to my curious terrier, so they could only really be used safely up high on the counter. Cost: $9 (6-pack) on Amazon $9 (6-pack) on Grade: B. 1. Mighty Mint peppermint spray I sprayed my kitchen's problem areas with Mighty Mint and haven't seen signs of mice for a month. That's $18 well spent. David Watsky/CNET Having exhausted most of my options short of an expensive appointment with an exterminator, I resorted to a 16-ounce bottle of peppermint spray for $20 on Amazon. (It's also available at Target for $10.) As directed, I sprayed the white peppermint solution near my kitchen baseboards, on the counter behind my toaster oven and in the crevice behind my wall oven. I reapplied the spray every couple of days. You can also use this spray in basements, attics, the engine of your car or any other spots you might not want rodents hanging out. The peppermint smell was noticeable for the first few hours, but I found it pleasant. The spray went on clear, and there was no damage to the wood floors or marble countertops where I applied it. Two weeks later (as of when I'm writing this) and I've seen no droppings or signs of mice at all -- the first time I can say that in months. To be sure it's working, I left two baited snap traps to gauge whether or not mice have been coming around. Neither one has been triggered. Cost: $19 on Amazon $19 on Grade: A. Peppermint spray is safe to use around pets; a big selling point in this house. David Watsky/CNET Is peppermint rodent spray safe to use around pets and children? Mighty Mint peppermint spray is made from natural ingredients and is safe to use around dogs and children. But you'll want to avoid getting in or near your eyes since peppermint oil can cause burning. It also contains soap, so it's not safe to ingest. How does peppermint spray repel rodents? Mice and other rodents hate the smell of peppermint. (Hard to believe, I know.) The spray contains a mix of peppermint oil (4%), water, glycerin, polyglycerol oleate and soap. What are the uses for peppermint spray? Peppermint spray is used to repel rodents from indoor spaces like mice and rats. It's also used to repel insects including mosquitoes, spiders, aphids and ants. It can be used in gardens and sprayed on plants to deter invasive pests and vermin. Could I make my own peppermint spray? You could easily make your own bottle of spray by adding two teaspoons of peppermint oil for every cup of water instead of buying the solution from Target or Amazon. More pest control tips:
CNET
14-05-2025
- General
- CNET
Wondering How to Keep Out Mice? We Asked an Expert for Tips
Your home security camera may be great at keeping away bad actors who worry about it, but what about those who don't? We're talking about mice. It's spring and that means rodents are out and about foraging, and once you have a rodent problem, dealing with it can become a real pain quickly. To learn the best ways to keep mice and other rodents from taking up residence behind the fridge or under the stove and radiators, we asked an expert on the matter. Laura Dillard is the head rodent research director at Tomcat, where she specializes in pest management and prevention. While Tomcat is best known for its traps and poisons, Dillard has tips for keeping them out in the first place. "Rodents are especially active in winter as they search for food, water and warmth to survive the colder months," she said. "Preventing an infestation requires vigilance and preparation to keep these pests at bay." Use all-natural rodent deterrents Peppermint oil is a known deterrent of rodents. Alina Bradford/CNET There are a handful of all-natural substances that can be set out in place of traditional traps. CNET Home and Kitchen Editor David Watsky found peppermint spray to be a particularly effective way to keep rodents from taking up residence in the home. "Peppermint oil is one of the most popular options," Dillard said, though some people go so far as to put predator urine from animals like foxes or coyotes around their homes. This often scares rodents away so that they don't end up as a bigger animal's dinner. Seal entry points with steelRodents can squeeze through openings of all shapes and sizes, even if they're as small as a quarter inch in diameter. "Inspect your home's exterior, including around pipes, vents and foundation cracks," Dillard said. "Seal gaps with materials like steel wool combined with caulk or metal flashing to prevent chewing. Pay special attention to areas around doors and windows." One approach is to add weather stripping, which blocks common entryways from animal trespassing. Products like expanding foam barrier get the job done and aren't difficult to use and install. Eliminate food sources Consider a robot vacuum to keep crumbs from piling up and attracting mice. Roomba It's always a good time to cook and bake our favorite comfort foods. Unfortunately, these dishes, along with leftover crumbs, pet food, bird seed and improperly stored pantry items can attract rodents that are searching for a feast. "Store all food in tightly sealed containers made of glass, meta or heavy duty plastic," Dillard said. "Clean up spills promptly and take out trash regularly. Avoid leaving pet food or water bowls out overnight. And if you feed birds, place feeders far from your home and clean up any spilled seed." Read more: Best Cordless Vacuums, Tested by CNET Labs Remove clutter Giving rodents piles of clutter to hide in and around will make your home an attractive place for them to settle. Alina Bradford/CNET There is a reason why most homeowners on shows like Hoarders deal with mice and rat infestations. Rodents love to seek out nesting materials like paper, fabric and insulation to burrow and keep warm. "Keep storage areas organized and avoid leaving piles of newspapers, cardboard or clothing in basements and attics," Dillard said. "Outdoors, trim vegetation near your home, remove debris piles and store firewood at least 20 feet from your home and elevated off the ground." Read more: These Kitchen Organizers Will Give You Miles of Extra Counter Space Monitor for signs of activity Monitor for signs of mice, including claw marks and droppings. Artisteer/Getty Images Early detection can often prevent an entire infestation, but you have to know exactly what you're looking for. "Look for droppings, gnaw marks or sounds of scratching in walls or ceilings," Dillard said. "Identifying early signs can help you act quickly." Know when it's time for traps Snap traps are good for killing mice, but they don't do much to stop more from coming after. David Watsky/CNET If prevention techniques have failed, there are a variety of baits and traps to lure rodents into an enclosure and/or mechanism that kills them. Though standard mouse traps and glues continue to exist, they aren't the most humane. As an alternative, live catch traps exist to offer no-kill options as a thoughtful solution for managing rodents without harm. "These traps are designed to capture rodents safely so they can be released back into the wild," Dillard said. That said, they must be used effectively. Here are her most helpful recommendations to get the most bang for your buck. Tips for setting rodent traps Knowing how and where to set traps will help boost their efficacy. David Watsky/CNET Selecting the right trap: "Choose a live-catch trap that matches the size of the rodent you're targeting. Brands offer a range of humane trap sizes that work for mice, rats and other small rodents. Tomcat offers both single and multicatch live-trap options, but remember to check traps twice daily to ensure trapped mice are not prohibited from regular food and water consumption." Proper placement: "Rodents typically travel along walls, baseboards and other edges of rooms. Place traps along these pathways and near areas where you've noticed droppings, gnaw marks or nests." Baiting the trap: "Use high-protein, aromatic bait like peanut butter, sunflower seeds or small pieces of fruit to attract rodents into the trap. Be sure not to over bait, as rodents might take food without triggering the trap." Releasing the rodent: "When releasing a captured rodent, take it to a remote location, far from your home to prevent it from returning. Choose a natural area like a wooded or grassy field where the rodent will have access to food, water and shelter. Consider wearing gloves when handling the trap to avoid direct contact with the rodent." Effectiveness and considerations: "Live-catch traps can be effective, however they may require more effort than other methods since traps must be checked frequently to ensure the rodent isn't left for too long. Always clean and sanitize the traps after each use." By combining trapping with preventative measures, homeowners stand the best chance of eliminating the risk of a vermin invasion. Take both methods into consideration and rodents may very well seek comfort in a lost mitten and not within the walls of your home.
San Francisco Chronicle
21-04-2025
- Health
- San Francisco Chronicle
San Francisco could have a ban on glue traps. Opponents say they are cruel and harm wildlife
Last weekend, a mother and her teenage children came into a wildlife center in San Francisco, distraught. An exterminator had suggested they use glue traps to deal with a rodent problem, but they weren't prepared for what they would find: three tiny baby rats attached to the glue, struggling, screaming and very much alive. 'I will never do that again,' the woman told Irina Ozernoy, a volunteer at Yggdrasil Urban Wildlife Rescue, where the baby rats are now recovering. Ozernoy said it's common for people to show up at the center with rats or mice stuck in glue traps: Despite intending to catch the creatures, they didn't realize how much suffering was involved. 'They're absolutely egregious,' Ozernoy said of the traps. 'It's animal cruelty at its height.' San Francisco Animal Care and Welfare Commission, of which Ozernoy is a member, is now working on a proposal for a citywide ban on the traps, preferably for both sales and use, though the latter would be hard to monitor. Glue traps are inexpensive and can be useful. However, the commission opposes them because they don't immediately kill their intended target, instead subjecting them to a protracted death by starvation or thirst, and they often capture other wild animals unintentionally. Instead, the commissioners argue, preventative measures to keep rodents at bay are more effective and humane. 'Anything that gets caught on a glue trap suffers for days before it dies,' said Lila Talcott, founder of Yggdrasil Urban Wildlife Rescue. 'Many species will fight tooth and nail to get off the trap. Birds will pull out their own feathers and then be unable to fly. Lizards will lose limbs.' WildCare, a wildlife hospital in San Rafael, has treated 43 glue trap patients from San Francisco since 2017, including wild birds like California towhees and dark-eyed juncos along with pigeons and roof rats, said Alison Hermance, director of communications and marketing. In that same time period, it treated 155 additional animals found in glue traps elsewhere in the Bay Area — among them gopher snakes, skinks and scrub jays. Removing animals from the traps is a painstaking process involving mineral oil and Q-Tips, and often sedation, that shouldn't be tried at home, said Talcott. Ozernoy thinks it would be fitting for San Francisco to impose a ban, since the city is named after the patron saint of animals. West Hollywood banned glue trap sales in 2023, followed by Ojai (Ventura County). New Zealand and several European countries outlaw or restrict the use of glue traps. Last year, Rep. Ted Lieu, D-Torrance (Los Angeles County), introduced legislation for a national ban on the sale and use of glue traps. When it did not advance, the San Francisco Animal Care and Welfare Commission revisited the idea of a citywide ban, and members plan to present the proposal to the Board of Supervisors soon, Ozernoy said. The traps have brand names like Catchmaster, Stick-Em and Tomcat, often with images of live, curious rats or mice on the label. Some brands have instructions to throw the trap in the trash when the animals are caught, without mentioning that they might still be alive. If you don't plan to rescue them, experts say using a heavy object to kill the glue-stuck animals with blunt force trauma is most effective. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention discourages the use of glue traps, because rodents caught in them can spread disease through urine or feces. Even some animal rights activists prefer snap traps, because of their swift effectiveness. And pest management experts say that lethal traps don't ultimately solve rodent infestations unless people plug holes in buildings to prevent more rodents from entering, and keep food and trash out of reach. Luis Agurto Jr, CEO of Pestec, an integrated pest management company for San Francisco and several other Bay Area counties, said there's already an 'unwritten rule' not to use glue traps on city-owned properties. 'People don't want to come across it. It's very emotionally charged if you hear something suffering and squeaking,' especially in schools, Agurto said. San Francisco has had an integrated pest management strategy for almost three decades, meaning it focuses on minimizing the use of pesticides that can be harmful to the environment and people, said Alice Hur, senior policy and public affairs coordinator for the San Francisco Environment Department. The policy does not address the use of glue traps, but the city provides guidance on how to prevent pests from entering buildings, including during design and construction, Hur said. Agurto said that using durable building materials and sealing holes down to ¼ inch, especially around pipes, are important steps. He also pointed to new tools the state and city are working with, such as smart traps with sensors that can provide data on the location and size of rodent populations. His company recently received a state grant to demonstrate alternatives to rodenticides, including using rat contraceptives in two San Francisco neighborhoods. Agurto opposes a ban on glue traps because he said it would remove an inexpensive tool for those without control over more fundamental pest management strategies, such as residents of high-density housing. Bans can have unintended consequences. A recent state ban on a certain class of rodenticides in California called anticoagulants, for example, caused manufacturers to come up with new versions that do not have ready antidotes for wildlife that accidentally ingest the poisons or the rodents that eat them, Talcott said. Nonetheless, at the University of San Francisco, students are trying to convince staffers to stop using the traps, said Bella Niven, a USF law student specializing in animal law. 'Any student could stumble upon a glue trap with a mouse that is struggling in it on the way to class,' said Niven, who also supports a citywide ban. Niven said that people think of mice and rats as inferior but she pointed out they like to be tickled and can learn their own names. 'When they come into our human-built space,' she said, 'they're often seeking the warmth and safety that we do during the cold months.' Niven and other students met with university officials to express their concerns, and both the students and the university put up signs reminding people of best practices, such as not to leave out crumbs, said Kellie Samson, media relations specialist at the university, in an email. Samson pointed to the university's integrated pest management policy and said the university would follow the law if a ban were in place. But, she said, 'At this time, the university and its third-party pest control partner have not identified effective alternatives to glue or snap traps.'
