Research update: Animal welfare impacts of Norway rat control
We are happy to share this new paper from Baker et al. (2022) An assessment of animal welfare impacts in wild Norway rat (Rattus norvegicus) management. This paper cites research authored by members of the AnimalKind team, including:
- Erin Ryan’s thesis on the humaneness of captive bolt traps and non-target interactions
- Nicole Fenwick’s report evaluating the (in)humaneness of glue traps
- The 20 person co-authored paper International consensus principles for ethical wildlife control, led by BC SPCA experts Dr. Sara Dubois, Nicole Fenwick and Erin Ryan
This paper reiterates the many harms of pest control, notably that rodenticides and glue traps remain markedly inhumane and should be used only as an absolute “last resort”. AnimalKind has previously relied on research by this paper’s first author, Sandra Baker, studying the efficacy of snap traps. Although they can be very humane, the quality of the traps varies widely, meaning some traps are built better than others.
AnimalKind standards for wildlife and rodent control are evidence-based, using the most current scientific information available. This is why AnimalKind standards may sometimes change, to reflect current information and best practices. We are proud to share research highlighting this important issue!