As the chief biologist for the world’s largest pest control company, Dr. Nigel Binns might seem like an unlikely recipient of PETA’s “Person of the Year” Award. But Binns has been at the forefront of inventing humane rodent control technology, and his RADAR mousetrap has the potential to alleviate the suffering of millions—if not billions—of animals worldwide. By providing consumers with an award-winning alternative to products that cause enormous animal suffering, Dr. Nigel Binns is contributing to a much more humane way of existing with wildlife.

Unlike cruel poisons, snap traps, and glue traps—which can cause mice and rats to suffer in agony for hours or days—the RADAR trap painlessly gasses trapped rodents with carbon dioxide. The high-tech trap immediately alerts the customer via e-mail when a rodent has been caught. It also text-messages a Rentokil technician, telling which unit has been triggered and even its precise location, so that the trap can quickly be emptied and reset. By pinpointing exactly where, when, and how many animals are caught, the “smart” trap tells people where to seal up holes to help keep rodents out, thereby preventing more mouse deaths. This eliminates the problem associated with live box traps, which are intended to be more humane than other methods but often become death traps where mice and rats slowly die of starvation, dehydration, or cannibalism if the traps are not checked regularly. Right now, the RADAR technology is only available in the United Kingdom, but PETA is working closely with Rentokil to make this innovation available in the United States in the very near future.

As more and more people are becoming aware of animals’ suffering, Binns and Rentokil have made great strides to ensure that their products don’t contribute to it. PETA commends Dr. Nigel Binns for his foresight, initiative, creativity, and most of all, his kindness.

For more information about humane rodent control, please visit PETA’s Web site HelpingWildlife.com.