FEARS OVER RAT AND MICE PLAGUE
09 Jan 2007 Daily Record
Rats
and mice are invading Scotland at an alarming rate, according to
figures.
House mice infestations increased by 22 per cent in 2005 - the UK average was 14 per cent. Numbers of brown rat infestations reported also rocketed by 11 per cent in the same year.
And in summer, traditionally a quiet time for rat sightings, the number of infestations rose by 22 per cent. The hike emerged in the National Rodent Survey Report 2006, carried out by the National Pest Technicians Association.
The NPTA collected data from local authorities across the UK for rat and mice infestations in 2005.
The report, released yesterday, calls on councils and water companies to tackle the rise in rodents. It asks councils to scrap charges for removing rodent infestations as they encourage people to try to kill the creatures themselves. The report also calls on water companies to tackle rat and mice infestations in sewers.
Litter, overfeeding birds and not using wheelie bins were also blamed for the rise in rodent infestations.
Rats and mice can spread deadly diseases and food poisoning.
The NPTA report says: "The signs are not good. We now have evidence of a year-on-year increase in brown rat infestations over the last seven years of 39 per cent. We have a huge 22 per cent increase in summer rats and this now brings us to a massive 69 per cent year-on-year increase.
"And the total apparent increase in mice infestation treatments now shows a 12.5 per cent increase over the whole of the seven years.
"Surely in the UK, with its greatly developed infrastructures, originally put in place to protect the public's health since the middle of the 19th century, something is wrong?"