Villagers in Hertfordshire claim that hundreds of rats have been causing havoc around their home for years. Residents are now having to protect their pets, cars and houses from damage
Fed-up villagers say “huge” rats are taking over their neighbourhood and are killing their pets as well as wrecking their homes and belongings.
Locals living in Welwyn, Hertfordshire, say they have dealt with the disgusting infestation for years. The residents, who live close to a forrest, claim that the rodent problem is getting increasingly worse. Paula Palacio, 57, who is situated in School Lane, says she has been left out of pocket after the rats damaged her car engine and chewed through the wires. The rodents have also become trapped in her filters. Her Mercedes is currently at the garage for a £6,000 repair.
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Paula has also had to book her dogs in for vaccinations. She explained that her pets have been tormented by the rats and try to bite them. It comes after the rodents savaged her neighbour’s guinea pigs to death.
Carer Paula said she has complained to Welwyn council several of times – but claims a councillor said it would cost too much to fix. “Every household is impacted – and some neighbours have been making their own poison where as I have been using pest control and have 16 traps in my garden currently,” she said.
“There have to be hundreds and I can see three now. We have placed rat poison everywhere, we have a load of traps down, and we’ve gone through everything to try and stop them. I’ve built a fence in my garden to stop my dog from entering the section [where the rats are]. I also have to get my dogs vaccinated against rats. We’ve always seen the odd one here and there.
“It’s been going on for three years, and rates have ruined my shed by gnawing their way in, and they have got in my neighbour’s shed and killed all of their guinea pigs and ruined their cars. We all try to make our poison, and quite a few neighbours do it simultaneously. Everyone tries to contain them, but I can go out there and guarantee I will see them.”
Neighbour Tom Dobson, 50, has lived in the area for 15 years. He said the rat problem has worsened over the last decade. The gardener said: “We have a garden shed which I clean out rat poop from on a weekly basis, and I have binned one shed.
“My brown bin, I stopped using for a while because there were dozens of rats in the bin jumping out as I wheeled the bin down the hill. As the bin men took the bin away they all fell out. I’m not too bothered by the rats – it’s mainly by the damage they cause that gets to me more. It’s horrible because it’s dirty and there is so much waste and the damage they cause, like the chewing, is terrible.”
Paula claims last year, the council said they would inspect all homes. She says they recently contacted her to say they will be laying poison in the nests – but as of yet nothing has happened. “I haven’t had them in my house, but they are all around the house, and it’s sadly become the norm,” she said.
A Welwyn Council spokesperson said: “We have visited the area several times over recent years and inspected the School Lane area of Welwyn but did not find accumulations or specific food sources that would attract vermin. As a precaution, we wrote to local residents to give advice on ways to prevent rodent activity such as correct waste storage and not using bird feeders.
“We conducted a further site visit today and we will undertake a baiting programme on a small area of land adjacent to Ms Palacio’s property, where there is evidence of recent rodent activity. We will also request that Thames Water conduct a baiting programme of the sewers which serve School Lane.”
