Rat population explosion draws big demand for rodent control

Holes burrowed into Debbie Cameron's front yard are the latest signs of a spike in Windsor's rat population, which has caused a significant uptake in the use of the city's rodent-control program.

"You'd hear them screaming at nightfighting each other," she said.

Windsor's environmental services department has been overwhelmed with the number of residents taking advantage of the rat abatement program.

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So far this year, the city has baited for rats at 740 homes. That figureeclipses the 500 homes baited all of last year, according toAnne-MarieAlbidone, manager of environmental services.

Part of the reason for the spike in number comes from the city reinstating its subsidized abatement program. Last year, residents were charged $100 for rat control. When it was free in 2015, the city responded to 840 calls for service.

"I think it's awesome," Cameron said of the subsidy. "This was bad."

Booming rat population

The drop in rat control last year, coupled with a mild winter, contributed to theboom in the rat population, explained Albidone.

"We expected the increase and it's definitely here and we're continuing to bait those properties," she said.

The city has budgeted $123,000 for rat control and is the only city in the province to have a program like it. The work is contracted to RentokilSteritech.

Service supervisor Ken Rivait says workers were responding to about 30 calls a week last year, compared toabout 130 calls a week this year.

"If people are trapping and removing skunks and possums, well those are natural predators to rats, so these things are also reasons why the rat population has jumped up," said Rivait.

Albidone says the poison used in the bait programis slow acting because rats naturally have scouts that test food in order to ensure it's healthy.

"They have just a couple of rats try it out first," she said. "If they don't die right away, then the rest of the rats will eat it."

The city's parks department handles rat control separately with its own contractor. Administrator JanWilson says they are trying to eliminate food sources in parks by converting to silo-type garbage containers that have covers.

To help keep the rat population down, residents can do their part as well. Albidonesays people should keepgarbage covered up.