Cardiff Council Reports Increase in Rat Sightings and Pest Control Call Outs

Cardiff Council pest control call outs and rat sightings have gone up according to statistics from the local authority.
The statistics show that pest control call outs to its own stock of buildings went up by more than 100 from January 2022 to December 2023.
However, private bookings made to the council’s pest control service for the same period reduced.
Private pest control companies also operate in the city, with two operating in Cardiff and other parts of South Wales saying that their call outs have gone up.
Cardiff Council has advised members of the public to remove potential nesting sites and urged them to properly dispose of food waste.
A Cardiff Council spokesperson said: “Rats are adaptable, highly mobile and breed rapidly.
“This combination makes it a difficult task to eradicate rats without suitable training.”
Cardiff Council data shows that there were 289 rat sightings recorded by their service from January 2022 and December 2022.
Sightings went up to 306 from January 2023 to December 2023.
The number of private bookings made to the council went from 1,414 between January 2022 and December 2022 to 1,381 between January 2023 and December 2023.
For the same period, pest control call outs to the council’s own stock of buildings went from 928 to 1,078.
There were 146 private pest control bookings made to the council in January 2024 – the highest number since January 2022 when there were 147.
Anthony Davies of pest control service, Artemis, said call outs for all pests have “definitely gone up”.
“There is no doubt about that,” he added.
Mr Davies, whose company operates in Cardiff and other areas of South Wales, said it is not just Cardiff that is experiencing an increase in call outs and that other companies across the UK are experiencing the same thing.
He added: “We get called out for all sorts, but the main [pests] that we get are usually rodents”.
Arrow Pest Services which operates in Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan said its calls have gone up as well recently.
The council’s advice to residents is: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Ensure your property is free from holes, and any vents are not damaged or missing and that your drainage system is in good working order
Remove potential nesting sites by keeping yards and gardens clean and tidy, and by cutting back overgrown areas
Be aware that by feeding wild birds or other animals, you may be feeding rats as well
Do not leave household waste where rats can access a food source ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The council spokesperson added: “It’s also really important that all food waste is put into your food waste caddy, and it should not be put in any other bag or container for collection, as this will always attract vermin.
“Rinsing out any recyclable materials before they are put into recycling bags should help stop green recycling bags being ripped open by birds, animals or vermin scavenging for food and creating litter on our streets.
“Cardiff Council does treat sewers in areas where there has been an increase in rodent sightings and we do have a paid for service which helps eradicate rats from residents’ homes.”
For advice or more information on Cardiff Council’s Pest Control Service, call the council on 02920872934 or email pestcontrol@cardiff.gov.uk. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​