Rat plague in Bad Homburg: How to fight rodents effectively!

Rat plague in Bad Homburg: How to fight rodents effectively!

Bad Homburg v. d. Height has an acute problem: A significant increase in reports of rats in residential areas is causing concern. The city administration warns citizens on its website that the careless behavior of many residents is the main cause of this rat infestation. How bad-homburg.de According to reports, feeding wild animals, open compost heaps and inadequately sealed garbage containers particularly attract animals. These food sources ensure that rats can enter residential areas and reproduce there undisturbed.

Hopefully everyone realizes that leftover food for wild animals is often left overnight and serves as welcome food for rats. These clever animals are not only adaptable, but also quickly find out where to get food. They build their nests in close proximity to these food sources, for example in gardens, under garden sheds or in compost areas. This increases the risk of direct encounters and also poses the risk of disease transmission.

Obligations of owners and correct behavior

According to the Infection Protection Act (IfSG), property owners are legally responsible for combating rats on their property. This means that they must take pest control measures at their own expense. The city appeals to citizens to act carefully. Recommendations include:

• Keine Fütterung von Wildtieren im Garten und offene Futterstellen vermeiden.
• Komposthaufen sichern und keine gekochten Speisereste oder tierischen Produkte kompostieren.
• Mülltonnen stets fest verschließen und Müllsäcke nicht offen lagern.
• Tierfutter nicht draußen stehen lassen und Vogelfutter in geschlossenen Behältern aufbewahren.

The importance of littering behavior

In addition, the Federal Environment Agency sees a direct connection between urban offerings and rat populations in its report. Highly developed cities such as New York, Washington D.C. and Amsterdam are struggling with huge rat populations due to high population density and the amount of food waste.

The ZDF analysis highlights that residential areas often offer a variety of hiding places for rats. The urban heat island effect also ensures that these animals are more active in the cold season. In New York, for example, more rats have been regularly spotted during the winter months of February and March over the past five years than in previous years.

Taking these facts into account, correct waste management is crucial. Rats require fewer opportunities to find food. A coordinated approach – from both the city administration and citizens – is necessary to get the rat population under control. In cities where rat management is successful, such as New Orleans or Tokyo, the measures show that less rat poison is needed to reduce the rat population. This not only promotes health and environmental protection, but also animal welfare.

Innovative approaches to rat control are showing promise. These include the use of rat-proof dumpsters and chemical sterilization to prevent rat reproduction, which is planned in cities like New York. The realization that “no food, no rats!” true, is becoming increasingly clear.

Bad Homburg and other German cities should feel inspired to adopt these findings and programs, which are also being successfully implemented in Kiel, Kassel and Giessen. It's time to show your skills in rat control and work together to ensure a clean and safe living environment.