Sikkim Government Stands Up for Rodents, Demands Enforcement of Ban on Glue Traps Following PETA India Appeal

For Immediate Release:

1 July 2022

Contact:

Hiraj Laljani; [email protected]

Farhat Ul Ain; [email protected]

Gangtok – Following an appeal by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India, the Sikkim animal husbandry department has issued a letter to the district collector of Gangtok to ensure strict enforcement of the state’s 2016 notification prohibiting the manufacture, sale, and use of glue traps for rodent control. The letter states that even though glue traps are cruel and illegal, they are openly sold. In its appeal, PETA India had requested the state government to take immediate steps to implement circulars issued by the Animal Welfare Board of India advising that glue traps be prohibited.

The 2016 notification of the Sikkim government and the letter are available upon request. 

“The manufacturers and sellers of glue traps sentence small animals to hideously slow and painful deaths and can turn buyers into lawbreakers,” says PETA India Advocacy Associate Farhat Ul Ain. “PETA India commends Sikkim for taking steps to protect animals, no matter how small, and for setting an example for the entire country to follow.”

PETA India noted in its appeal that the use of glue traps is a punishable offence under Section 11 of The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960. Usually made of plastic trays or sheets of cardboard covered with strong glue, they’re indiscriminate killers, often catching non-target animals – including birds, squirrels, reptiles, and frogs. This is in apparent violation of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, which prohibits the “hunting” of protected indigenous species. Mice, rats, and other animals caught on 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.

PETA India – whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to abuse in any way” – notes that 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, and store food in chew-proof containers. Seal 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 near where they were found – animals relocated outside their natural territory struggle to find adequate food, water, and shelter and can die as a result.

For more information, please visit PETAIndia.com or follow the group on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.

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