'We're living in fear of Inverness rat plague'
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RESIDENTS in an Inverness street are living in fear of a rat invasion.
The work that started recently on the controversial West Link Road is being blamed as a possible cause for rats being on the move.
Councillor Bet McAllister has had complaints from several residents on Hawthorn Drive in Dalneigh.
What’s worrying the neighbours is that two or three at a time have been spotted in gardens, not just the odd one. Hawthorn Drive runs parallel to the Caledonian Canal, but local people say the canal has never caused a problem in the past.
Mrs McAllister reported the rat sightings to the council’s environmental health department, which is investigating and has issued advice.
She said as well as being a concern for the residents it was an area where youngsters played.
The brown rats and one grey in colour, said to be "big animals", have been seen on several occasions over the past few weeks. Yvonne Callaghan said one tried to drink from her garden pond but was scared off by the family cat.
She added that the first sighting was at the top of their arched trellis, with her husband James thinking at first it was a squirrel.
Mrs Callaghan said: "We have been here 30 years without seeing a rat and now this. They seem to be coming from the canal embankment and have been seen in the late morning and mid afternoon. The worry is that there is a park area between the houses and the canal, and young children play there.
"We are worried that the rats might be carrying disease. My husband estimated them to be eight or nine inches long."
Other neighbours who had seen rats were Bruce Murdoch and Elzbieta Czekela she said.
Concerned neighbour Jane Mackie said although she hadn’t seen the rodents she was worried that they were so close.
She said: "They have been through the fence in my neighbour’s garden. I have a garden shed and I am worried that they could be living under it. Apparently they are pretty big things.
"The area is used by youngsters as a play area. Picnics are held occasionally on the open space in the summer so there could be the possibility of them spreading disease they carry.
"Doors are open more often in the summer and what if they got into the houses."
Weil’s disease is a bacterial infection which can be carried in rats’ urine.
A council spokesman said: "Our environmental clerk of works has confirmed that there have been no recorded sightings of rats on the site of the (West Link) works.
"But we understand that living next to the canal there is always the chance rats may appear."
Highland Council’s environmental health team spokesman said: "It is not uncommon to have an occasional sighting of rats within an area, and seeing a rat on one occasion does not necessarily imply there is an infestation.
"Rats can be drawn into gardens and houses for a number of reasons – primarily on the lookout for food or shelter.
"In order to discourage any rats from being attracted into gardens or homes, we would advise not placing food on the ground to feed birds and wildlife as this may attract rats.
"If using a bird table or feeder, ensure any food that falls on to the ground is cleared away daily.
"It may also be advisable to stop feeding the birds in your garden for a period."
