Andhra Pradesh Stands Up for Rodents and Other Small Animals, Bans Cruel Glue Traps Following PETA India Appeal
Following an appeal from PETA India, the Directorate of Animal Husbandry of Andhra Pradesh has issued a circular recommending the prohibition of the manufacture, sale, and use of glue traps for rodent control in the state.
Affirming that the use of glue traps to catch rats and other small animals violates The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PCA) Act, 1960, the circular instructs district animal husbandry officers across the state to implement Animal Welfare Board of India advisories. commands law enforcement authorities to conduct special drives to seize glue traps from manufacturers and traders and field functionaries to publicise the order, while encouraging the use of humane methods of rodent control.
Affirming that the use of glue traps to catch rats and other small animals violates The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PCA) Act, 1960, the circular instructs district animal husbandry officers across the state to implement Animal Welfare Board of India advisories. commands law enforcement authorities to conduct special drives to seize glue traps from manufacturers and traders and field functionaries to publicise the order, while encouraging the use of humane methods of rodent control.
In its appeal, PETA India drew attention to the indiscriminate nature of the deadly traps, which catch not only rodents but also other small “non-target” animals, including birds, squirrels, reptiles, and frogs, causing them excruciating pain and leading to a slow, torturous death. Similar circulars prohibiting the manufacture, sale, and use of glue traps have previously been issued by the governments of Chhattisgarh, Goa, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana.
The use of glue traps, which causes unnecessary suffering to animals, is a punishable offence under Section 11 of the PCA Act, 1960. Usually made of plastic trays or sheets of cardboard covered with strong glue, the traps pose a danger to any animal who may cross their path. The use of glue traps is also in violation of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, which prohibits the “hunting” of protected indigenous species. Mice, rats, and other animals caught in these traps can die of hunger, dehydration, or exposure after days of prolonged suffering. Others may suffocate when their noses and mouths become stuck in the glue, while some even chew through their legs in a desperate bid for freedom and die from blood loss. Those found alive may be thrown away along with the trap or may face an even more traumatic death, such as by bludgeoning or drowning.
The best way to control rodent populations is to make the area unattractive or inaccessible to them: eliminate food sources by keeping surfaces and floors clean, storing food in chew-proof containers, and sealing trash cans, and use ammonia-soaked cotton balls or rags to drive rodents away (they hate the smell). After giving them a few days to leave, seal entry points using foam sealant, steel wool, hardware cloth, or metal flashing. Rodents can also be removed using humane cage traps but must be released where they will find adequate food, water, and shelter to help them survive.
In 2022, following an appeal from PETA India, the Andhra Pradesh government issued a circular prohibiting the use of severely restrictive gestation and farrowing crates in pig farming.
