Res. No. 466

Resolution calling upon the New York State Legislature to pass, and the Governor to sign, S.6314-A/A.4785-A, an act to amend the general business law, in relation to prohibiting the production, sale and use of adhesive-based animal traps.

By Council Members Brannan, Abreu, Cabán, Krishnan and Yeger

                     Whereas, New York City has a long history of pest rodents and insects, with genetic studies of local rats suggesting that they arrived in the City between 1750 and 1780 as a result of ship travel associated with British colonial efforts; and

                     Whereas, The high density of people living in urban environments, coupled with insufficient municipal and individual waste management practices, can create conditions that enable pests to flourish due to the abundance of food sources and opportunities for shelter; and

                     Whereas, As awareness of animal rights issues and concerns regarding animal cruelty have increased, modern pest control best practices have shifted away from strictly lethal and inhumane methods to more holistic approaches that focus on addressing the root causes of infestation, known as integrated pest management or IPM; and

                     Whereas, Because of the rapid reproduction rate of common urban pests such as rats and cockroaches, it is now well understood that simply killing pests is unlikely to be a permanent solution, as populations can easily re-establish so long as favorable conditions exist; and

                     Whereas, One archaic and inhumane method of pest control involves the use of traps, trays, or boards coated in a layer of strong adhesive, which are meant to ensnare animals that come into contact with the adhesive surface; and

Whereas, Because these traps are not designed to kill directly, animals caught by them often suffer for extended periods of time, sometimes for multiple days before succumbing to death from exhaustion or starvation, and have been known to chew off their own limbs in attempts to free themselves; and

Whereas, These traps ensnare animals indiscriminately, and trapped prey animals such as insects and small rodents can serve as attractants, luring non-target predator species, which can also become stuck in the adhesive; and

Whereas, Sufficiently large traps can pose a threat to household pets and small children who may come into contact with them, as the strong adhesive can tear off fur, hair, and skin during removal attempts, potentially even requiring medical intervention; and

Whereas, While it is possible in some instances to free animals that have been ensnared in adhesive traps, the process presents risks to rescuers who must engage with a distressed animal, as well as risks to the trapped animal who may be further injured by attempts to free them, with delicate animals like birds often succumbing to injuries resulting from being trapped; and

Whereas, A study comparing the efficacy of adhesive traps to that of lethal snap traps found that adhesive traps are less effective at reducing rodent populations, and that mice can either learn to avoid the traps due to their smell, or in some instances, develop strategies to safely cross the traps, including by using refuse to build bridges across the adhesive surface, or using dirt or sand to neutralize it entirely; and

Whereas, Not only are glue traps less effective at addressing infestations than other traps and pest management strategies, they can present a danger to humans by facilitating the transmission of certain diseases; and

                     Whereas, The United States Centers for Disease Control advises against the use of adhesive traps for rodent infestations, stating that animals caught in these traps often void their bowels from distress, increasing the likelihood that humans will come into contact with rodent urine and feces, which are significant vectors for transmission of hantaviruses; and

                     Whereas, Hantavirus infections can cause fever, fatigue, muscle pain, headache, and gastrointestinal symptoms including nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea in the early stages of infection, potentially leading to difficulty breathing, fluid build-up in the lungs, and in extreme cases, death from respiratory failure and shock; and

Whereas, There are no known cures or vaccines for hantaviruses, and medical treatment is generally limited to providing supportive care for individuals to maximize their chances of successful recovery; and

Whereas, S.6314-A, sponsored by State Senator Jabari Brisport, and companion bill A.4785-A, sponsored by Assembly Member Harvey Epstein, would ban the importation, sale, distribution, and use of any adhesive-based animal trap, defined as any device designed to trap an animal the size of a rodent or larger using an adhesive substance, in New York State, and prohibit the use of any insect trap, defined as any device designed to trap insects using an adhesive substance, outdoors where they could potentially ensnare birds or similarly-sized animals; and

Whereas, The bill’s ban on the importation of adhesive-based animal traps would take effect immediately, and would prohibit shipping or otherwise bringing adhesive-based animal traps into New York State for either commercial or personal use, among other activities; and

Whereas, The bill’s other prohibitions, including the ban on selling and using adhesive-based animal traps, would take effect after one year; and

Whereas, In light of the dangers to humans, pets, and non-target animals presented by adhesive traps, their relative ineffectiveness at addressing infestation issues, and the immense pain and suffering experienced by animals ensnared in them; now, therefore, be it

                     Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls upon the New York State Legislature to pass, and the Governor to sign, S.6314-A/A.4785-A, an act to amend the general business law, in relation to prohibiting the production, sale and use of adhesive-based animal traps.

NRC

LS#16637

6/11/24