The following article is an extract from our sister organisation in New Zealand, Dr Kate Littin, Manager, Standards Programme, Animal Welfare Animal and Animal Products, Regulation & Assurance, Ministry for Primary Industries; regarding the prohibition of glueboards. 

It is part of a wider advertising campaign from MPI relating to this change in regulations. 

The sale and use of rodent glueboards will be prohibited from 1 January 2015, under the Animal Welfare (Glueboard Traps) Order 2009.  

“Now is a good time to think hard about whether you need to use rodent glueboards at all,” she said, and raised the following points for consideration: 

• You will need Ministerial approval if you have to use or sell rodent glueboards (or if you supervise others who use them). 
• To get approval, you will need to show that you have considered alternative techniques and describe what rules and requirements you have to meet through the use of glueboards.
• You’ll also need to describe your IPM layout. Users have to meet a number of conditions.
• Boards have to be checked as often as possible and at least daily, as is the case now, and rodents have to be killed humanely and checked that they are dead before disposing of the board. 
• Approvals will normally be issued for one year, and you’ll be required to report on the number of boards used and rodent and non-target captures. 

Most importantly, you’ll have to follow your PMANZ code of practice and Standard Operating Procedure. This is being finalised now. Or you can supply your own SOP when you apply for approval. 

Approval is being processed now for the main suppliers. Make sure your supplier has approval before you have to rely on them in a hurry. 

If you cannot do without glueboards in 2015, see PMANZ website for more detail or email animalwelfare@mpi.govt.nz for the application form. 

PMANZ is currently part of a wider group looking at alternatives to the continued use of glueboards, and will report back findings to the group during the course of 2015. 

The Code of Practice (COP) and Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for the continued use of glueboards will be on the PMANZ website shortly. This will also be notified on our Facebook page.

The changes from New Zealand mean that the use of glueboards will come under greater scrutiny in Australian jurisdictions. 

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