Goa Government Helps Rodents and Other Small Animals, Bans Glue Traps Following PETA India Appeal

For Immediate Release:

22 November 2022

Contact:

Hiraj Laljani; [email protected]

Farhat Ul Ain; [email protected]

Panaji – Following an appeal from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India, the Goa Directorate of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services has issued a circular prohibiting the manufacture, sale, and use of cruel glue traps for rodent control. The circular also seeks state-wide compliance with the order in light of the wildlife and other animals who get stuck in these traps and die slow painful deaths. In its appeal, PETA India had requested that the state government take immediate steps to implement circulars issued by the Animal Welfare Board of India advising that glue traps be prohibited. Circulars with similar directions have previously been issued by the governments of Meghalaya, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu and Telangana.

The copy of the circular issued by the Directorate of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services, Goa, shared with PETA India are available upon request.

“The manufacturers and sellers of glue traps sentence small animals to hideously slow and painful deaths,” says PETA India Advocacy Associate Farhat Ul Ain. “PETA India applauds the government of Goa for protecting 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 that cause animals suffering 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 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 limbs 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 by doing the following: 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, as 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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