The New York City Bar Association, through its Animal Law Committee, approved the passage of Assembly Bill A.54-B and Senate Bill S.3046-B (the “Bill”), which would amend the public buildings law to prohibiting the use of adhesive-based rodent traps (“glue traps”). This Bill would prevent the use of this cruel and ineffective method to capture or destroy animals. In the amended law an “adhesive-based rodent trap” is “any device that is designed or is capable of being used to capture a rodent by means of an adhesive substance, including devices commonly known as glue traps, glue boards, and any similar rodent trap.”

These adhesive-based traps, also known as “glue traps,” are used as a method of rodent control. However, these type of traps are the cruelest trapping methods and create more suffering than other known products on the market. Research shows that animals caught in these traps endure a slow and painful death through starvation, dehydration, and exhaustion over several days, rather than instantaneous death. As the animal panics, their fur, skin, feathers, faces and other body parts are often torn away from their bodies. Often, animals caught, find their eyes and mouths glued shut. Some break their bones or chew off their limbs trying to escape the trap.

For further information on this bill, see: