Park-Extension faces a new problem
It was an email sent to Park-Extension City Councillor Mary Deros from a desperate citizen.
The citizen wrote to inform the council of the concerning issue of an infestation of rats in the neighborhood. This has been ongoing for months and is causing distress with livability in the community.
The concerned individual expressed worry regarding unsanitary conditions and potential health risks that may affect all children in the neighborhood. The presence of rodents has become a nuisance, causing fear and damage to homes while disrupting the quality of life in the community. The individual believes it is the property owner’s responsibility to ensure that rented accommodations are habitable and to address the pest problem promptly. Despite investing in exterminators, baits, and traps, the community has been unable to control the situation, incurring significant costs. The concerned Park-Exer urges the city to provide professional pest control services to resolve the issue urgently.
The issue of garbage left outside to fester is nothing new in Park-Extension and our newspaper covered the situation in great detail last summer. However, the pest issue seems to be plaguing the whole of Montreal, not only Park Ex.
Rats are not just a nuisance; they are also a serious health hazard. They carry a range of diseases that can be transmitted to humans through their droppings, urine, and bites. Some of the diseases associated with rats include leptospirosis, hantavirus, and rat-bite fever. In addition to these diseases, rats can also spread other types of infections and parasites, such as fleas, ticks, and lice.
The presence of rats in areas with garbage is particularly concerning because rats are attracted to food waste. Food waste is a major component of household and commercial garbage, and it provides rats with a reliable source of food. When rats are attracted to garbage, they will not only feed on the waste but also burrow into it to create nests. This means that garbage can become a breeding ground for rats, leading to an increase in their population.
The problem of rats attracted to garbage is not limited to residential areas. Commercial businesses that generate large amounts of waste, such as restaurants and food processing plants, are also at risk of attracting rats. In fact, rats have been known to cause significant damage to commercial properties, including chewing through electrical wires and causing fires.
