Former MP delighted to see new animal cruelty bill become law

Former Wolverhampton North East MP Jane Stevenson said she was really pleased to see the Glue Traps (Offences) Act 2022 come into force across England from today (Thursday).

The Glue Traps (Offences) Act 2022 aims to improve humaneness for target rodents, but also other animals that can sometimes become accidentally trapped, by banning glue traps.

The Act gave users and suppliers of glue traps two years in which to finish off their existing stock and move to alternative methods of rodent control.

Ms Stevenson said the official launch of the act marked the end of several years of hard work since she introduced it as a Private Member's Bill in 2021 and spoke about the significance of the act coming into force.

She said: "I'm just really pleased as these horrific traps have caused so much suffering to so many species of animals and I think there has been a lot of cross party support for this bill and Wales and Scotland followed suit when I laid the bill.

"We've had this period of time for people to make adjustments and I'm really delighted as so many animal charities supported all the way and Baroness Fookes took it through the House of Lords, so it's amazing to have managed to change the law.

"I'm pretty lucky to have got a Private Member's Bill through and I want to thank the Conservative Animal Welfare Foundation, Zac Goldsmith and every Member who supported this Bill.”

Ms Stevenson said that the accomplishment reinforced her political legacy as a passionate advocate for animal welfare, work she intends to continue outside of Parliament.

She said: "I think the massive investment in Wolverhampton is a bigger legacy of my time in Parliament in some ways, but it's good to know that something meaningful will remain from this act being enforced.

"I've also become a patron of the Conservative Animal Welfare Foundation, which I'm very proud of and I'll be continuing to be doing some work on that in the future."