Linda Penney has been living in Airport Heights for 10 years, and just Tuesday morning, she caught four rats in her backyard.
“It’s been a problem for years,” said Penney. “I even got to the point where I was joking around, having competitions with my brother in law about who would catch the most per night.”
Penney and her husband set up 12 traps in the backyard on Tuesday night. It’s something they have been doing every night, for years.
“Last year I would say we caught about 40 rats,” said Penney.
Earlier story
Rats! St. John’s tops busiest rat city list in Atlantic Canada
Paula Walsh also lives in Airport Heights and says that although she doesn’t have a rat problem herself, she can understand why others in her area are having issues.
She said people on neighbouring streets often have garbage outside their homes almost 24 hours before the scheduled pick up time, which can attract the rodents.
Living on the opposite end of town, Jonathan Milley says he has seen these rodents time and time again.
“We basically had to stop composting because the rats we’re tearing up the bin, and creating such a mess,” he said.
Others say that it is costing them an arm and a leg.
“We purchased an annual contract with pest control to get rid of them,” said a resident from Cowan Heights.
The news release by Orkin hopes to remind homeowners that, as temperatures cool down, these rodents will seek shelter, food and water.
Rats are capable of transmitting a number of serious diseases and cause millions of dollars of damage to properties every year.
The rattiest cities ranking is based on all rodent treatments by Orkin Canada at residential and commercial properties within Atlantic Canada from Sept. 1, 2016 to Aug. 31, 2017.
The City of St. John’s is aware that rats are an issue for both residents and business owners, but say officials have not reviewed the basis of the recent Orkin report.
To address the issue of rats the city has taken the following steps:
- Development regulations have been amended to require pest control in advance of any demolition project
- Rodent control plan is required for all subdivisions and any commercial/industrial/institutional developments — unless deemed unnecessary by officials
- The automated garbage bins (once rolled out starting in 2018) will better prevent garbage from attracting pest problems
- Mail outs are sent to targeted neighbourhoods to inform residents how to best maintain their property to reduce likelihood of rats, see attached
- Information about rat control has been featured in the City Guide, and on the website
- The City partners with MUN Botanical Gardens to provide educational sessions on backyard composting best practices. Some of those practices are intended to reduce pest issues.
