Rat Sightings Prompt PETA Plea for Kindness, Not Cruelty

Proposed Billboard Says Human Filth to Blame, Touts Humane Prevention Methods

For Immediate Release:
October 30, 2018

Contact:
Brooke Rossi 202-483-7382

Taylor, Mich. –

In a recent survey, Detroit was named the sixth “rattiest” city in the country, and rodent sightings in Taylor have become so common that residents demanded a town hall meeting—so PETA is offering a 100 percent humane solution to the problem. The group plans to run a billboard that shows a sloppy human being—the cause of the problem—and a cute cartoon rat next to the words “You Dirty Rat. Cleanliness Is the Humane Way to a Rat-Free Home.” PETA’s website offers practical, inexpensive, and effective ways to discourage rats, something that beats poisoning them only for an influx of more rats to be drawn to the source of the problem.

“There’s no need to be cruel to rats, who are intelligent and affectionate little animals who form close bonds with their families and friends, have been shown to enjoy playing and wrestling, and even giggle when tickled,” says PETA President Ingrid Newkirk. “Killing these animals doesn’t stop more rats from moving in, so PETA suggests that homeowners and building managers rat-proof buildings, that cities improve trash collection, and that residents do their part by not littering.”

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, and feed companion animals indoors (and pick up the dishes when they’ve finished eating).
Trim back vegetation around buildings, stack wood in tight piles away from the house, 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.