Hope I just can't imagine the terror you must have of going into work. I once worked at a place that was infested with mice, and I thought that was scary. When I protested I was given a cardboard box to put my feet on (I can laugh now, but I didn't think that was funny at the time). One of the men who worked there made an anonymous telephone phone to the pest control who forced their way in and closed the place down for two days while they got rid of them. Rats are extremely dangerous, their bites cause infection and their fleas cause worse. If I were you I would be looking for another job, your health is at risk. Of course pet rats are a different thing entirely, they are clean, well cared for and friendly, but wild rats are a big danger to the community. You shouldn't have to work with them.
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How dangerous are rats?
- Thread starter hopehacker
- Start Date
Having rats..in your home, near your children/infants with asthma (in NYC ghettos asthma is at epidemic levels) is more inhumane. Kids are bitten all the time. I know a coworker who was bitten recently IN HER BED! The city, does not seem to want to do more about it. There are SOME subways stations I avoid entirely, because rats are on the platform, not just the tracks (poor neighborhoods). I have written letters, started petitions. This is an old city, with a 100 year old subway system, we will never get rid of them all, but the current administration has cut funds drastically.
I still applaud the Bronx man....at least he does something for his neighborhood. Children and adults should have rights over vermin.
Hope
How brave of you to go back to work . I don't mind the pet rats at all , but the wild ones ewww . Cats sometimes don't even mess with them when they are big . I am glad you did not want to bring your Siamese cat , I also would be afraid the cat may get hurt .
The best really would be poision to feed them as said in a post above . I don't know about traps , some are very smart and hard to catch with a trap . Just keep your feet moving and make noice , so they know you are there .
How brave of you to go back to work . I don't mind the pet rats at all , but the wild ones ewww . Cats sometimes don't even mess with them when they are big . I am glad you did not want to bring your Siamese cat , I also would be afraid the cat may get hurt .
The best really would be poision to feed them as said in a post above . I don't know about traps , some are very smart and hard to catch with a trap . Just keep your feet moving and make noice , so they know you are there .
vinceneilsgirl said:
Hope, I don't have any advise for you, but I wanted to send you (((HUGS)))
You work for OSHA? Oh my, they should really be ashamed of themselves!
Best of luck to you in getting rid of these rats
You work for OSHA? Oh my, they should really be ashamed of themselves!
Best of luck to you in getting rid of these rats
Yes and PETA agrees with that (after all we do protect the rights of the human animal too) but that doesn't change the fact that what the man did was cruel and shows a lack of intelligence on his part.
Clubbing a rat is a relativley quick death and more humane than poison or traps.The man in question was doing it for years, so he had very good, quick aim, as per the article. He killed scores a night.
Poison: They bleed to death S-L-O-W-L-Y! Additionally, rats are becoming immune to the poisons that are being used....just another fine meal to them now.
Traps: Are painful and a prolonged death...even the glue traps which I don't know if they have for rats, must be an awful way to go...the rat must go into respiratory distress in the struggle to free himself.
So again...I think the man was right....why doesn't PETA step up to the plate and help, rid NYC of the vermin...not just protesting a man who is killing them more humanely than NYC is?
VNG...How would you suggest, NYC cut down on it's rat problem???
Hi, Hope, just saw this thread! I second what others have already stated about the health concerns. Vermin constitutes a severe workplace health hazard. As an employer, I would have called Terminix immediately. It is a very small price to pay to prevent any future liabilities or claims from my staff, if nothing else.
I forget offhand what agency you call, but an inspector can conduct a surprise inspection. The employer gets a warning, a followup, then a fine if nothing's done. The work areas should be closed down until appropriate measures have been taken to rid the place of the hazard. What your employer did just pisses me off - a couple of TRAPS?!? He gives a bad name to the rest of us who try hard for our employees.
Oh, wait, something just occurred to me - is he just your manager? If so, maybe you can get a hold of the next higher level? Sometimes dissatisfied staff, or customers who knew I was the owner, would just bypass my manager, and talk directly to me.
Good luck, and it just steams me to think of you sitting there in fear of some rat running over your foot. Unacceptable workplace conditions.
I forget offhand what agency you call, but an inspector can conduct a surprise inspection. The employer gets a warning, a followup, then a fine if nothing's done. The work areas should be closed down until appropriate measures have been taken to rid the place of the hazard. What your employer did just pisses me off - a couple of TRAPS?!? He gives a bad name to the rest of us who try hard for our employees.
Oh, wait, something just occurred to me - is he just your manager? If so, maybe you can get a hold of the next higher level? Sometimes dissatisfied staff, or customers who knew I was the owner, would just bypass my manager, and talk directly to me.
Good luck, and it just steams me to think of you sitting there in fear of some rat running over your foot. Unacceptable workplace conditions.
Clubbing, traps, and poison are all cruel (although I guess clubbing is the least cruel. I still don't recant my original statement though.) and scientists have proven that because of how fast these animals reproduce doing these things doesn't help anyway. The best thing to do is not to invite them in the first place. Rats are opportunistic. So, here's what scientists are saying is the ONLY way to control them...
1. Clean up the garbage.
2. Birth control...which they are working on.
And attacking PETA just because we have the decency to point out cruelty and injustice wherever we find it isn't very cool. Besides, like I said, scientists have proven that killing the rats doesn't work anyway. The keyword should be prevention, not murder. The rats are there because of the bad habits of humans. In short, we are gross. We trash and dirty up our planet and than get pissed when opportunistic animals like rats come along. People really need to go out and buy a clue.
I never gave, excuse the expression, a rat's arse (LOL) about appearing cool. Yes people are a huge part of the problem...but try controling the habits of over 8 million people in one city...a city that is over 300 years old, with a 100 year old subway system. Yes, I would like to see birth control work for the rodent population...but there is always new population coming in. NYC is a port city...new arrivals everyday. However,birth control is better than nothing. Hope they can perfect it soon. Glad you see my point how clubbing is the least offensive/least cruel way of killing.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #31
Well, I don't know about cleaning up the filth at work. There is no filth at work. In fact my office is in a very fashionable part of Los Angeles. It's in West Hollywood, about 2 blocks out of Beverly Hills. The rents in the area are unbelievably expensive, and all of the homes and apartments in the area are clean and well maintained. I think the rats we have at work are because of this ancient tree that hangs over our building. It's certainly not because of dirt. There are a lot fashionable shops in the same complex as my workplace. I'd say everyone in the area takes extreme pride in their offices or homes. So, aside from Birth Control, I don't know how else we'd get rid of the rats.
Although I didn't work last night, I did call the office to see what was going on with the rat population, and person who does the Graveyard relief on the weekends told me that one of that rats did meet his/her end, in one of my bosses traps. It makes me sad that the poor creature had to suffer, and I'm glad I wasn't there to witness this. However, I know that I personally could not and can not take much more of the nocturnal visits. The terror and anxiety I've gone thru all week has taken it's toll on my physically. I was so exhausted yesterday morning when I got off work, that instead of getting in my car and driving straight home, I had to recline my car seat all the way back, roll down the window and I took a two hour nap before I went home. I was totally drained. Then I have to face it all over again, starting at Midnight Monday morning.
Although I didn't work last night, I did call the office to see what was going on with the rat population, and person who does the Graveyard relief on the weekends told me that one of that rats did meet his/her end, in one of my bosses traps. It makes me sad that the poor creature had to suffer, and I'm glad I wasn't there to witness this. However, I know that I personally could not and can not take much more of the nocturnal visits. The terror and anxiety I've gone thru all week has taken it's toll on my physically. I was so exhausted yesterday morning when I got off work, that instead of getting in my car and driving straight home, I had to recline my car seat all the way back, roll down the window and I took a two hour nap before I went home. I was totally drained. Then I have to face it all over again, starting at Midnight Monday morning.
Dear Hope,
Hey. I go berserk when I see a mouse. I couldn't imagine having a rat run under my feet! Your boss is being insensitive to your fears and needs as an employee.
Can you ask a friend to come to work with you to take pictures? A video camera would be even better. Don't make the noises. Have the friend video you and your office and then video the office when the rats come in. I know it would be scary, but then you'd have proof. (If you could take pictures of the ones dead in the traps, that would be good to.) You could also have your friend video you stomping your feet and catching your reactions on camera. (Like a documentary of sorts.) Also, print out this thread to show the mental suffering you are going through.
Take your documentation to whomever in the county could help! You shouldn't have to suffer at work. A lot of times it's the proof of the camera, pictures, and witnessess that gets the case solved.
Best Wishes,
mrsd
Hey. I go berserk when I see a mouse. I couldn't imagine having a rat run under my feet! Your boss is being insensitive to your fears and needs as an employee.
Can you ask a friend to come to work with you to take pictures? A video camera would be even better. Don't make the noises. Have the friend video you and your office and then video the office when the rats come in. I know it would be scary, but then you'd have proof. (If you could take pictures of the ones dead in the traps, that would be good to.) You could also have your friend video you stomping your feet and catching your reactions on camera. (Like a documentary of sorts.) Also, print out this thread to show the mental suffering you are going through.
Take your documentation to whomever in the county could help! You shouldn't have to suffer at work. A lot of times it's the proof of the camera, pictures, and witnessess that gets the case solved.
Best Wishes,
mrsd
I had a pet rat when I was in my teens, and I get the odd mouse in my apartment (which my meowies take *ahem* care of), so rodents don't bother me too much.
As for wild rats, I've seen them here in Toronto too, and they're huge and grey/black like New York rats, but I find they do tend to avoid people. I think they're about as freaked out by us as we are of them. Well, not myself, which is why the rat usually seems surprised and takes off when I've encountered them.
But seriously, I understand all of your fears. I'm scared to death of spiders and cockroaches.
I saw the HUGEST cockroach when I was walking around the East Village in New York at around 2am. You could put a leash on those things!
As for wild rats, I've seen them here in Toronto too, and they're huge and grey/black like New York rats, but I find they do tend to avoid people. I think they're about as freaked out by us as we are of them. Well, not myself, which is why the rat usually seems surprised and takes off when I've encountered them.
But seriously, I understand all of your fears. I'm scared to death of spiders and cockroaches.
I saw the HUGEST cockroach when I was walking around the East Village in New York at around 2am. You could put a leash on those things!
Ewwwwwwwww.
Just to put you a little bit at ease rats do not carry rabies although then can carry other diseases. We have a rat problem outside our home because we live right next to the river and a park with lots of fields. They are not even scared to go next to the stud enclosure and believe me the stud makes his presence known with all his spray!
If you poision them they stick to no end. But if you don't they just keep multiplying untill you are overrun by them.
If you poision them they stick to no end. But if you don't they just keep multiplying untill you are overrun by them.
Oh and if you catch them on a glue trap you can take them and drown them in a bucket, it's quick and they don't suffer since everyonme seems to be so concerned about rats suffering.
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