An apparatus for the capture and electrocution of pest animals is provided. The apparatus has a killing chamber, an electric accumulator, a high voltage transformer, three electrode plates located in the killing chamber and connectable to the high voltage transformer, and three stationary electrical contacts. A rotor having a horizontal rotating shaft and four axial walls, each with three electrode plates arranged consecutively in an axial direction, is lockable in four predetermined angular positions in each of which one of the four axial walls is horizontal and has the three electrode plates facing the killing chamber. Each axial wall of the rotor has three movable electrical contacts that are each connected to a respective one of the three electrode plates. The three movable contacts on a same one of the axial walls are temporarily and simultaneously connectable to respective stationary electrical contacts when the axial wall is horizontal.

Rat attractant compositions attractive to the rat species Rattus norvegicus are disclosed, which compositions are constituted of compounds found in the headspace volatiles of male urine odor or female urine odor. Said compositions are respectively termed male pheromone blend (MPB) and comprises 2-heptanone, 4-heptanone, 3-ethyl-2-heptanone, 2-octanone, 2-nonanone, and 4-nonanone in a ratio of 10:100:10:1:1:10 respectively, or female pheromone blend (FPB) and comprises 2-methyl-butyric acid, 3-methyl-butyric acid, heptanal, hexanoic acid, 2-phenylacetaldehyde, nonanal, and decanal in a ratio of 20:20:10:30:5:20:10. Devices including the rat attractant compositions, and methods of using said rat attractant compositions, are also disclosed.

Rat attractant compositions attractive to the rat species Rattus norvegicus are disclosed, which compositions are constituted of compounds found in the headspace volatiles of male urine odor or female urine odor. Said compositions are respectively termed male pheromone blend (MPB) and comprises 2-heptanone, 4-heptanone, 3-ethyl-2-heptanone, 2-octanone, 2-nonanone, and 4-nonanone in a ratio of 10:100:10:1:1:10 respectively, or female pheromone blend (FPB) and comprises 2-methyl-butyric acid, 3-methyl-butyric acid, heptanal, hexanoic acid, 2-phenylacetaldehyde, nonanal, and decanal in a ratio of 20:20:10:30:5:20:10. Devices including the rat attractant compositions, and methods of using said rat attractant compositions, are also disclosed.

A circuit and method for boosting the voltage input to the gate of a MOSFET switch used in an electronic rodent trap is provided. By boosting the voltage to the gate, the MOSFET can be fully turned on to activate an effective killing cycle in the electronic rodent trap even when the trap's battery voltage has dropped to a level that would otherwise be insufficient to fully activate the MOSFET.

A circuit and method for boosting the voltage input to the gate of a MOSFET switch used in an electronic rodent trap is provided. By boosting the voltage to the gate, the MOSFET can be fully turned on to activate an effective killing cycle in the electronic rodent trap even when the trap's battery voltage has dropped to a level that would otherwise be insufficient to fully activate the MOSFET.

An animal sorting device comprising a housing having an entrance, an exit, and an animal dispatch chamber. The animal dispatch chamber comprises entrant assessment means to determine if an entrant is either a pest or a non-pest, animal dispatching means to dispatch the pest, and means to urge either a dispatched pest towards an aperture or the non-pest towards the exit. A modular animal sorting device is also disclosed.

An animal sorting device comprising a housing having an entrance, an exit, and an animal dispatch chamber. The animal dispatch chamber comprises entrant assessment means to determine if an entrant is either a pest or a non-pest, animal dispatching means to dispatch the pest, and means to urge either a dispatched pest towards an aperture or the non-pest towards the exit. A modular animal sorting device is also disclosed.

An electronic rodent trap and monitoring method is provided. Each trap has at least one entrance, and preferably two entrances in opposed relationship to create a longitudinal tunnel, with a pair of lower plates extending longitudinally and oriented in spaced substantially parallel relationship, and a triggering element, such as a third plate, positioned above the lower plates, and preferably adjacent the ceiling of the trap on a center baffle that also shields a bait cup. The trap is activated when the rodent, with its left and right feet on the parallel lower plates, which are preferably raised above the floor, contacts the triggering element on the center baffle. The trap is preferably modular in design with an electronics module and a tunnel module removably secured within and protected by an outer housing. The trap also has improved features for more accurate remote monitoring of rodent dispatch and kill verification.

An electronic rodent trap and monitoring method is provided. Each trap has at least one entrance, and preferably two entrances in opposed relationship to create a longitudinal tunnel, with a pair of lower plates extending longitudinally and oriented in spaced substantially parallel relationship, and a triggering element, such as a third plate, positioned above the lower plates, and preferably adjacent the ceiling of the trap on a center baffle that also shields a bait cup. The trap is activated when the rodent, with its left and right feet on the parallel lower plates, which are preferably raised above the floor, contacts the triggering element on the center baffle. The trap is preferably modular in design with an electronics module and a tunnel module removably secured within and protected by an outer housing. The trap also has improved features for more accurate remote monitoring of rodent dispatch and kill verification.

A method and apparatus involving a euthanasia process are provided. The euthanasia process is carried out in a chamber including electric stunning to induce insensibility and reduced atmospheric pressure to induce hypoxia. The described method and apparatus provide a more humane system for euthanizing animals and reducing any negative impacts for people carrying out the process.