The State government has banned manufacture, sale and use of glue traps to kill rodents, a method that went against the spirit of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.
In a recent memo, Director of Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Anita Rajendra noted that the use of glue traps would inflict unnecessary pain and suffering on rodents. There were many other humane methods available to control rodent population which could be explored. The memo called for special drives by police to seize glue traps from manufacturers and traders.
Meanwhile, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA)-India has welcomed the Telangana government’s directions to curb the use of glue traps to trap rodents. “The manufacturers and sellers of glue traps sentence small animals to hideously slow and painful deaths and can turn buyers into lawbreakers,” a PETA-India media release quoted PETA-India Advocacy Associate Pradeep Ranjan Doley Barman as saying.
“PETA-India commends Telangana State for its progressive action, which sets a precedent for the entire country and will protect countless lives,” the release added.
It stated that the best way to control rodent population is by making areas unattractive or inaccessible to them. Food sources should be eliminated and surfaces, such as floors, should be kept clean, and edible items should be stored in chew-proof containers. Ammonia-soaked cotton balls can also repel rodents.
The organisation suggested the use of cage traps, and advised that once caught, the rodents should be released within 100 yards of where they were found.
