How Do I Find A Ratting Team With Dog(S) In South East London / Kent - Help A Newbie!

[southlondongirl 0]

Hello everyone

 

This is my first time here and I'd really appreciate the benefit of your wisdom.

 

Ever since our neighbours got chickens, we have had rats in our garden. Firstly at the bottom of the garden under the shed and now under the log store much closer to the house. The final straw was this morning: one brave wee beast had wandered into the kitchen and was in no hurry to clear off.

 

We've had the council man around before to put down poison but my rural childhood memories tell me that a dog will deal with the problem much more efficiently (and humanely)

 

Living in Lewisham (SE London) i have no idea how to go about finding a person with a terrier - I only seem to be able to go down the Rentakill route.

 

Does anyone here know:

 

a) anyone who has a dog who would come to Lewisham

am I allowed to deal with rats this way?

c) do I need to rip up the garden to let the dogs get to the rats?

 

I'm in a fairly suburban semi, we've got an old dog at home but she's not bothered about defending her patch!

 

There is no poison down at the moment but there will be soon, is that a problem for dogs?

 

Thanks for reading, any advice gratefully received

 

 

[walshie 2,804]

I'd have thought any dog, pet or not would see to a rat.

 

Yes, it's still legal to take rats with dogs.

 

I'd go for traps over poison in those circumstances.

[southlondongirl 0]

thanks Walshie, is there any particular type of trap that you'd recommend?

[walshie 2,804]

I'm far from a trap expert, but I'm sure someone in the know will be along shortly.

[paulus 26]

a rat trap perhaps

[paulus 26]

fowl will always attract rats as there is an available food source, your shed and log store will be perfect shelter, with these things in place they will breed rapidly, you need to sort the problem of the chickens or else the best you can is hope is to control there numbers with the use of both traps and poison. dogs and a smoker will account for a few but again it will only be a short term control method.

[matt1979 766]

There are things that can do done to ltd the supply of food which will be attracting the rats in the first place I.e raising up the chicken food off the floor and not leaving a constant supply of chicken food for them to nab. A good terrier will no doubt take some rats in your garden, but in my experience the neighbours cat accounts for many more an. Can hunt all night when they are not active. Had the same problem with our chickens as poison boxes and rat traps do seen to keep the numbers down. Rentokill and the like will charge a small fortune for just a few poison boxes whih are can be brought cheap online pre baited or at large DIY shops cheers

[matt1979 766]

Should have said cat accounts for many more as it is out all night when the rats are most active.

[southlondongirl 0]

thanks folks, time to have a word with the neighbours about their urban chickens....

[paulus 26]

thanks folks, time to have a word with the neighbours about their urban chickens....

that's your best course of action, after all its their chickens that are the root cause of the problem, but even when or if the chickens go you will still have to deal with the rats. as said earlier raising sheds and such off the floor using blocks/bricks will help.

[dan john 82]

Pm sent

[dare 1,103]

Best advice I can give is too move out of lewisham lol rats would be the least of my worries if I lived there. Used to work in catford, the funeral centre opposite aldi. Amount of nut cases I'd see talking to themselves aswell as other types of people I'd rather not meet. Anyway jokes aside hope you get the problem sorted.