Concerns Over Rats Prompt Plea for Kindness to Rodents

PETA Ads on Buses Will Promote Humane Prevention Methods—Not Cruel Killing Measures

For Immediate Release:
November 1, 2017

Contact:
Megan Wiltsie 202-483-7382

Green Bay, Wis. –

Colder temperatures are prompting rodents to seek refuge in human homes, alarming some residents of Green Bay—named one of the top 50 “rattiest” cities in a recent survey—but PETA has a humane solution. The group is running ads on city buses that show a cartoon rat next to the words “Only a Dirty Rat Uses Cruel Pest Control. Be Kind.”

“Rats are intelligent, affectionate animals who form close bonds with their families and friends, enjoy playing and wrestling, and even giggle when tickled,” says PETA President Ingrid Newkirk. “Killing these animals only causes others to move into the newly available spaces, so PETA urges homeowners and building managers to avoid unwanted houseguests entirely by rat-proofing buildings.”

PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to abuse in any way”—offers the following tips for humane rodent control:

Put all food and garbage in sturdy, well-sealed containers that rats can’t chew through.
Feed companion animals indoors, and pick up the dishes when they’ve finished eating.
Trim back vegetation around buildings, and seal holes larger than ¼-inch in diameter, cracks in the walls and floors, and gaps around doors, windows, and plumbing.
After rat-proofing the building, live-trap and remove any rats still inside. Use a commercially available Havahart trap or make your own. Check the trap hourly, and release any captured rats within 100 yards of where they were caught.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.