Dog Poop Attracts Rats in Lakewood, NJ
Challenge
A resident in Lakewood, NJ called our office after finding rats in her kitchen. I arrived, inspected the home, and found a few rat droppings in the kitchen. Continuing my inspection, I found a wide gap in the back door, which is how the rats were able to enter the home. To my surprise, the home was immaculate. There were no crumbs or large spills throughout the home, items were stored in sturdy plastic bins, and all perishable food items were sealed tight in glass containers.
I was curious as to what was attracting mice into the home, so inspected the exterior of the home and made a discovery. The homeowner had a pet dog that was doing its business in the backyard and each pile of dog poop had tiny bite marks in it. Believe it or not, dog poop is a good food source for rodents! There are usually bits of food that can be a valuable resource to them!
Solution
I informed the homeowner and carefully removed all the rat droppings in the kitchen as well as all the piles of dog poop in the backyard and disposed of them properly. Afterward, I installed a rodent bait station inside the home and along the exterior of the home as well. Next, I installed an Xcluder™ door sweep under the back door. The Xcluder™door sweep is made from a blend of coarse stainless steel and poly fibers to form a highly resilient and impenetrable barrier.
Before I left, I advised the homeowner that, in order to avoid any future rodent or potential pest infestations, to clean up after her pet. I was happy to hear that she agreed. I'll return for several follow-up visits to monitor the rat problem and replenish the bait stations.
