Rats are pests that homeowners, renters, landlords, and restaurant owners do not want to deal with. They are a nuisance that can be devastating to business sales and the property’s actual structure. Rats breed quickly and carry a variety of diseases that are harmful to both humans and animals making them a significant health concern, especially in the restaurant industry. Portland and Seattle Washington experience a fair share of rat problems that has everyone living within those cities dealing with these pests to varying degrees.
What Dangers Do Rats Pose
Rats are considered to be dangerous or bad because of the diseases they carry and the destruction that can happen when they inhabit areas where people live and do life. Diseases from rats can be spread through their urine, feces, rat bites, or being bit by ticks, fleas, or mites that have been infected by rats they came into contact with. Even breathing in dust that is contaminated with infected rat urine, feces, saliva or hair can spread disease to humans and animals. Some of the diseases they are known to spread are salmonellosis, leptospirosis, tularemia, plague, and Lyme disease.
On top of spreading dangerous diseases to humans and animals, they are also known to be very destructive to buildings because they can chew through metal, electrical wiring which can cause fires, and wooden beams that support a structure. Before a rat infestation is even noticed it can cause thousands of dollars in repair work.
How Bad Is The Rat Problem In Portland And Seattle Washington
Rats will always continue to be a problem in large cities because rats thrive where people thrive. Since rats live off the scraps we leave behind they will continue to grow in numbers. Rats are especially a problem in cities like Portland and Seattle Washington because of their dense populations. Trash, food scraps, and nesting materials are all items that rats love to feed off of and use to make a home for themselves. When restaurants dump crates of food in bins or homeowners leave junk around their homes or allow their garbage bins to overflow these are the opportunities rats will take advantage of and the problem is that these will always continue to be a source for rats.
As much as some restaurants try to take preventative measures to keep bins sealed and garbage from building up there will always be those that don’t and that goes for homeowners as well. Homeless camps are also an issue because trash is dumped around their living quarters which eventually builds ups providing rats with everything they need to thrive.
Are Rats Bad For The Environment
Rats are beneficial to the ecosystem as they play an important role in the health of grasslands and forests and are a food source for other wildlife. However, rats can be bad for the environment since they are known to destroy critical habitats, native plants, animals, and crops that affect our food supply. Non-native species like the Norway rat and roof rat become pests that specifically affect humans and animals because they inhabit their homes and property placing owners at risk of dealing with structural damage and exposure to serious disease.
The most effective way to deal with rats is to try to stay ahead of the problem which means taking preventative measures to keep rats from infesting your home or business. Consistent maintenance will help keep rats at bay so this does not happen. Contact your local rat specialist to provide you with a solution to your rat pest issue.
