GUWAHATI: People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India, a leading animal rights organisation, praised the Assam government for its proactive stance on animal protection.
The appreciation came after the government, following an appeal from PETA India, issued a directive banning the manufacturing, sale, and use of glue traps across the state.
The circular, signed by the director of the Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department, refers to Section 11 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, which expressly prohibits causing unnecessary pain and suffering to animals.
The ban on glue traps is a significant step, as these traps are not only ineffective but also lead to a cycle of cruelty.
Farhat Ul Ain, Senior Advocacy Officer at PETA India, said that glue traps fail to address the root cause, often resulting in more animals taking the place of those caught.
The appeal from PETA India had urged the state to adopt the Animal Welfare Board of India’s recommendations against glue traps, and the state is now the latest addition to the list of 31 states and union territories that have prohibited these “inhumane” traps.
The circular serves as a reminder that the use of glue traps also violates the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, which prohibits the hunting of protected indigenous species.
Typically composed of plastic trays or cardboard covered in strong glue, these traps are indiscriminate, capturing non-target animals and violating wildlife protection laws.
Animals ensnared in glue traps face horrific deaths—suffocation, self-mutilation, and starvation.
The circular acknowledged the cruelty inflicted by these traps, stressing on the need for a compassionate approach to rodent control.
PETA India suggests humane alternatives to control rodent populations, such as making areas unattractive to them, eliminating food sources, and using non-lethal methods like ammonia-soaked cotton balls.
The organisation underscores that animals are not ours to abuse and advocates against speciesism—a human-supremacist worldview.
Assam’s decision to ban glue traps aligns with a growing global awareness of ethical treatment towards animals, and PETA India continues to champion such causes for the well-being of all living beings.
