RatZapper owns me. Go to
http://www.ratzapper.com/whatisa_rz.htm and check it out. You simply put food in the back, then Stuart Little walks in for a big shock. Not only does it work well, safe, no touching required and quite, its fun to think about too
I got one several years ago and its really nice. No mess, easy as can be, and will kill most anything that can fit in it. You dont hafta worry about getting mouse traps for rats accidentally, or the other way around.
OK, there webpage blows, but check out this basic animation for how it works :
http://www.ratzapper.com/flash/ratzap/ratzap_3.html
Kind of expensive, but supercool. Their old site used to have pictures when they first released teh product. One guy killed a gophor so big it got stuck in there and he had to try and pry it out. It doesn't shock enough to kill people (or dogs i think) but it will let you know you touched it. Good for mice, rats, gophors, moles, small cats (
) or other pests that will fit inside.