Yesterday, 1st May, The Gujarat High Court focused on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) regarding the disregard for implementing a ban on glue traps. Glue traps, commonly used for catching rodents, are under scrutiny due to concerns about their cruelty to animals. The PIL seeks to ensure the enforcement of laws prohibiting these traps, highlighting the importance of humane treatment of animals. This legal action highlights the ongoing debate surrounding pest control methods and animal welfare.
Gujarat: The Gujarat High Court, on Wednesday, called for responses from the State of Gujarat, its Animal Welfare Board, and the Director of Animal Husbandry regarding a public interest litigation (PIL) that claims there has been a failure to enforce a prohibition on the creation, sale, and usage of glue traps. These devices, which consist of boards covered with a sticky substance, are designed to catch rodents such as rats by ensnaring them as they move across the surface. The Trapped animals frequently suffer extended and painful deaths.
During the proceedings, the bench, led by Chief Justice Sunita Agarwal and Justice Aniruddha Mayee, pointed out a significant health concern associated with glue traps. They highlighted that rodents, when ensnared and distressed, can release hantavirus as they lose control over their bodily functions. This poses a potential risk of transmitting the virus to humans, thereby adding a public health dimension to the ethical concerns raised by the use of such traps.
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The Court mentioned,
“The Centre for Disease Control and Prevention in Canada has explicitly advised against the use of these traps due to the risk of hantaviruses, which are released when animals lose control of their bodily functions.”
Advocate Dharmesh C. Gurjar, representing the petitioner, brought to the Court’s attention that the Gujarat State Animal Welfare Board issued a circular on September 5 of the previous year. This directive aimed to ban the production, sale, and utilization of glue traps, in accordance with Section 11 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, which addresses the cruel treatment of animals.
Despite this, Gurjar highlighted that there has been a lack of enforcement regarding this ban. He alleged that glue traps continue to be employed not only in agricultural settings but also in industrial areas, contravening the established guidelines.
The Court acknowledged the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) that emphasized the inhumane treatment of various small animals such as rodents, birds, lizards, snakes, bats, and squirrels, inflicted through the use of glue traps. These devices not only cause suffering to animals but also present a risk of disease transmission to humans.
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In light of these concerns, the Court recognized the gravity of the matter and the need for thorough examination. Consequently, it instructed the Additional Government Pleader (AGP) to obtain and present the perspectives of several key entities: the State government, the Gujarat State Animal Welfare Board, and the Director of Animal Husbandry.
The Court scheduled a follow-up hearing on this issue for July 5, indicating a continuation of the judicial scrutiny into the enforcement and implications of the ban on glue traps.