Animal activists to take on firms over glue traps

Visakhapatnam: Activists have started objecting to glue traps that are being used not only by industries but also domestic users who claim that they pose danger to birds and animals. Animal lovers in the city are rising up against the use of adhesive pads after coming across incidents of birds losing their lives having stuck in the glue. Activists have decided to take on the manufacturers as well as the government authorities concerned seeking a ban on the use of glue traps. They warn that they would lodge police cases against the stakeholders concerned if no action was initiated.

Visakha Society for Protection and Care of Animals founder Pradeep Kumar Nath said, “Of late everywhere, even in houses, conventional rat traps are being replaced with adhesive rubber pads that are traps with death penalties that is preceded by indiscriminate cruelty. Removing a glue pad from the animal stuck is impossible. It does not only leads to the suffering of the mice but also other animals and wildlife. It could also be a human health hazard.”

“It is a heinous crime and we all should stop using these kinds of traps. There are much more humane methods of getting rid of the rats. Any inquisitive animal can get caught in this kind of a trap. Recently, we found a crow rapped in the glue in Madhurawada area,” he said. “When doing experiments on mice has legal implications, why not such cruel way of killing the species? We will urge the manufactures and authorities concerned not to promote it or else invoke the existing rules to prevent cruelty to animals,” he said. The Centre for Disease Control and Prevention also warns against the use of glue traps because animals caught in them lose control of their bodily functions, creating a danger of disease transmission.