Don't give rats a reason to stay: City fights rats and asks residents for help
A rat doesn't need an invitation. A trash bag next to the dumpster, a few slices of bread on the street, or a generous portion of birdseed on the ground is all it takes. For a rat, it's simple: where there's food, there's a good place to live. And so it stays.
With the campaign “Don’t Give Rats a Reason to Stay,” the municipality of Geldrop-Mierlo is asking residents to help prevent rat infestations. Under the slogan “No plan for rats? We do!” the municipality is joining forces with residents to combat rats. After all, prevention starts with removing food sources, but also with reporting rat infestations. “A rat doesn’t care much about our plans. It’s just looking for food and a safe place,” says Hanneke Meulendijk, Alderman . “That’s why we need each other. We’ll tackle the rats where necessary using the SmarTrap. And residents can help by making their surroundings less attractive to rats and reporting rat infestations to us. Only together can we get a clear picture of where the problems lie.”
Not a full buffet for the rat
Rats are clever creatures. That’s why the rat itself gets to speak in the campaign. On posters, for example, he thanks residents for dinner. Or he wonders, “Why should I move?” “That humor is intentional,” says Meulendijk. “No one wants rats in their neighborhood. So we certainly don’t want to point fingers at residents. But we can only tackle the problem together. Sometimes it’s the little things that make a difference. An open trash can, food scraps, or pet food can be an invitation for a rat. By paying attention to these things together, we can make the neighborhood less attractive to rats.”
Do you see a rat? Report it!
Residents who spot rats are strongly encouraged to report them via the BuitenBeter app. These reports are important because they help the municipality better understand where rats are present and where there may be nests or other sources of nuisance.
In areas where rat infestations are reported, the municipality can install a SmarTrap. This smart rat trap monitors the rat population and records when rats are caught. This provides the municipality with information about the extent and location of the infestation, allowing it to take more targeted action. “So a report is more than just letting us know you’ve seen a rat,” Meulendijk explains. “It helps us determine where we need to look and take action.”
Smart Pest Control
So the municipality is certainly not limiting its efforts to public education alone. In areas where rats are found and control measures are needed, smart rat traps are deployed. The SmarTrap digitally records the captures. “With the SmarTrap, we can take a much more targeted approach,” says Meulendijk. “But even the smartest rat trap can’t solve the problem on its own. If there’s food to be found every single day, rats will keep coming back. You can catch one rat, but if another meal is waiting for it afterward, there’ll be a different rat on your doorstep tomorrow.”
Together Against Rats
The campaign is therefore explicitly a collaborative effort. The municipality controls rats where necessary and asks residents to help by removing food sources and reporting nuisances. “Rat control is a shared responsibility,” says Meulendijk. “We’re doing our part. But residents can do their part, too. Don’t give rats a reason to stay; don’t turn your yard into a restaurant; and if you see rats, report them. That way, we’ll know where to focus our efforts.”