That’s what Magna residents in Fullers have been instructed, by letter, to do as there are now hundreds of rats swarming at the backs of the bungalows. Several residents have approached the Editor with a plea to highlight this problem. Encouraging the birds is a popular pastime for those who are older and spend most of their time at home.
Magna Team Leader for Fullers Sheltered Housing, Mrs. Sarah Cooley told residents that the fence was to keep the rats in so they could poison them and keep cats out. Most, if not all have complied. Poison was laid out on the morning of Friday, 7th.
What Magna do not appear to be taking into consideration is the massive work that has been carried out over the last few months which has disturbed rat nests in people’s gardens, the pile of skips for the rubbish, digging up the gardens for cables etc. This cannot possibly be exclusively down to residents’ bird feeders . It could be a mischief of rats have swarmed from somewhere else although most recently, nests with live young have been discovered too.
Mrs. Cooley then added the fence is to stop people going into the bush. This is not reassuring the residents at all. Why put a fence round the bush outside and not at all the other garden that have rat riddled bushes and hedges?
The fences that Magna has provided appear totally inadequate to prevent cats, hedgehogs and the rats moving around.
Residents are also concerned about the owls, sparrow hawks and maybe cats and dogs will pick up sick poisoned rats and kill their pet!
There are several residents with hedgehog boxes. Hedgehogs were still breeding up to six weeks ago. The Hedgehog Rescue confirmed that small hedgehogs can get into rat poison boxes and eat the poison. If a hedgehog has eaten any , their droppings will be greenish purple. If this happens the hedgehog must be taken to the Hedgehog Rescue immediately. It is understood that Magna havent mention anything about hedgehogs, even after being told.
One resident commented “I’ve been feeding the birds every day for 12 years and never seen a rat. This swarm cannot possiblly be down to bird feeders.” Two residents have taken to shooting them – one shooting almost a dozen over the last few weeks.
Some fear Magna are reacting too late to a problem reported some time ago.
If residents see any rats – they are to contact their Sheltered Housing Officer, Teresa Perry as soon as possible on 07528 974 955.
