In St. Petersburg, the invasion of rats? What's happened?

Solid utility waste

Rospotrebnadzor in St. Petersburg demanded to strengthen the fight against rats, as he receives more and more complaints. The city’s chief sanitary doctor is worried that the growth of the rodent population will lead to the spread of dangerous infections.

There really was there really more rats in St. Petersburg? Why? And where to complain about them? "Paper" answers the main questions about rodents.

I see the news that there are more rats in St. Petersburg. This is true? ↓

The chief sanitary doctor of St. Petersburg Natalia Bashkova asked to strengthen the struggle with rats, since the townspeople began to complain more often about them. For the first quarter of 2022, Rospotrebnadzor received 140 appeals - this is more than a third of all complaints over the past year. And in 2020 there were even fewer of them.

According to Bashkutova, deratization in the city is carried out regularly, but this does not help: in every fifth house and cafe, rats remain after processing.

The problem with rats also speak in social networks. Residents of different areas - from Vyborg to Krasnoselsky - have been publishing photos and videos with rodents in apartments , ceremonial and trash containers for the past three years. Some posts become viral, such as a video with a rat and a crow, which "play catch -up."

In the winter of 2022, Petersburgers widely discussed the “invasion” of rats in the yard on Yaroslav Gashek Street. Local residents said that the rodents ceased to be afraid of people and went out in search of food even during the day. In April, the situation was aggravated - rats were noticed already in the porches.

However, it seems not to panic. Rospotrebnadzor is not the first time raising the alarm. Similar decisions on the fight against rats were published in 2010 , 2012 and 2013 .

Why did the number of rats increase? ↓

Rospotrebnadzor believes that the number of rats could increase due to untimely garbage collection. Several media associated the problem with the garbage reform, which started in St. Petersburg on January 1, 2022.

The Nevsky Ecological Operator (NEO), who is now responsible for all processes related to waste, denies this. As the “paper” was reported in the company, the problem with the rodents was relevant before the start of the garbage reform.

“At the beginning of 2022, [when the garbage reform started, there were cases of untimely export of MSW , however, by mid -January, the export was carried out according to the planned schedule,” they told the “paper ” in the NEO.

Now complaints about garbage removal are single in nature and relate to points that are difficult to drive to, they say in the NEO. At the same time, there are appeals in the operator’s group on VKontakte on other issues - for example, for separate collection. "Paper" also found in the public several complaints about rats.

In addition, Rospotrebnadzor talks about the problems of deratization - for example, a lack of preventive measures that would prevent migration of rodents. What exactly is being discussed is not specified.

The St. Petersburg Disinfectment Station accused of unqualified specialists who are hired by management companies of the livestock of rats. As the “paper” was told by the owner of one of the deratization firms, he periodically has to redo work for such contractors. “The disinfector walks, and the roar of shaggy is growing,” says the man.

Is it dangerous? ↓

In Rospotrebnadzor, they are worried that if the rats of rats in St. Petersburg will increase, this will lead to an increase in dangerous infectious diseases. The agency already fixes isolated cases of infections by infections whose carriers are rodents: leptospirosis, intestinal yersiniosis, pseudotuberculosis.

Rats rarely attack a person: only if they are driven into a corner and feel danger, experts say . However, if this happened, follow the recommendations of Rospotrebnadzor.

After a bite, stop bleeding, rinse the wound with running water and treat with an antiseptic solution. Then consult a doctor, if necessary, he will vaccinate against tetanus and rabies. Detailed instructions can be found here .

At the same time, during deratization, it is also worth observing security measures. It is better to take pets to the street, and put their bowls, toys and trays in a bag to avoid contact with chemicals. The room after processing must be ventilated for at least 40 minutes.

Where to deal with complaints about rodents? ↓

If you saw a rat in the apartment, on the stairwell or in the basement, contact your management company, since it is it that is responsible for deratization and disinfection in the house, lawyers say . The next step is the prosecutor's office or Rospotrebnadzor (in the event that the Criminal Code has not reacted to the complaint).

On the rats that live in garbage tanks in the yards, it is also necessary to complain to the management company. As the Nevsky Ecological Operator explained, he is responsible for the removal of waste, but not for the maintenance of container sites.

The complaint can also be left on the portal "Our St. Petersburg". But take into account that from April 15, you can’t write anonymous applications there. Messages are accepted only from users who are registered through a single identification and authentication system (ESIA).

What else to read:

• There was a worm or a piece of plastic from the store. What to do and where to complain ?
• Have you heard that the Petersburger found a kitten in the toilet? As he ended up there, explains the lifeguard of the animals.