About humane vertebrate pest control

Humane vertebrate pest control is the development and selection of feasible control programs and techniques that avoid or minimise pain, suffering and distress to target and non-target animals in vertebrate pest control programs.

Traps

The sale and use of all traps in Victoria is regulated under Sections 15 and 15AB of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1986 and the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Regulations 2019.

Ministerial approval is required to use of some types of traps and, in some circumstances, the locations where certain traps can be used.

Types of traps

• Leghold traps
• Confinement traps
• Humane cage trapping of domestic, unowned and wild cats
• Non-kill snares (require ministerial approval)
• Kill traps (require ministerial approval)
• Lethal trap devices (require ministerial approval)

Glue traps are banned from being sold or used on animals, (conditions apply to use for insects).

Scientific reviews

• Review: Welfare Outcomes of Leg-hold Trap Use in Victoria
• Fumigation of rabbit warrens with chloropicrin produces poor welfare outcomes

Pest animals

• Pest Animals

External links

• Model Codes of Practice and Standard Operating Procedures for humane vertebrate pest control
• A Model for Assessing the Relative Humaneness of Pest Animal Control Methods