Scotland Made It A Criminal Offence To Own A Glue Trap

Scotland became the first part of the United Kingdom to impose a comprehensive ban on glue traps on July 1st, with the provisions of the Wildlife Management and Muirburn (Scotland) Act 2024 coming into full force and making it a criminal offence to use, supply, sell, or even possess a glue trap anywhere in the country. The ban covers all vertebrate animals, meaning it is illegal to set a glue trap intended for rats, mice, or any other animal, and unlike the more limited legislation that applies in England, Scotland's ban does not include a licensing scheme that allows trained pest professionals to apply for exemptions in specific circumstances. The penalties are significant: anyone convicted can face a fine of up to £40,000, imprisonment for up to 12 months on summary conviction, or on indictment a prison term of up to five years. People who own existing stocks of glue traps are required to render them unusable before the deadline or face prosecution simply for possession.

Glue traps, which consist of adhesive boards designed to stick to and immobilize any animal that walks across them, have long been the target of animal welfare organizations because they are entirely indiscriminate in what they catch. Birds, hedgehogs, bats, non-target small mammals, and family pets can all become trapped on boards intended for rodents, and animals that are caught typically suffer prolonged distress, injury, and death by exhaustion, starvation, dehydration, or attempts to escape. The Scottish Government said the ban reflects Scotland's commitment to protecting wildlife and reducing unnecessary animal suffering, while bringing its law into line with evolving public expectations around humane pest management. The ban does not apply to sticky traps used to catch invertebrates, such as insect monitors, which fall outside the legislation's scope. Animal welfare groups called the ban a landmark moment, and conservation organizations said Scotland's comprehensive approach, which goes further than any comparable law in the rest of the UK, sets a standard they hope will be adopted elsewhere.

Source:https://news.sky.com/story/glue-trap-ban-comes-into-full-force-in-scotland-13559441