Complaints of rats and mice rise

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New research has found an increase in complaints about rats and mice in Wales, raising public health concerns.

Complaints to local councils about rats in 2005/6 rose 14% on the previous year.

There was a 33% increase in the numbers of calls for mice, BBC Wales current affairs programme Taro Naw found.

One rat expert called on the Welsh assembly and UK governments to take a more "co-ordinated approach," amid fears the animals could spread disease.

Currently, local authorities are responsible for dealing with rat and mice problems.

Some local authorities saw a far greater increase in complaints about vermin with Powys and Torfaen experiencing a 45% jump.

Commenting on the figures, public health expert Dr Stephen Battersby said the approach to dealing with and preventing infestations had become "increasingly fragmented".

"The relationship between sewerage undertakers, and the local authorities seems to have deteriorated and there is less sewer baiting than there used to be," said Dr Battersby.

He is a leading expert on rats and environmental health and has conducted research on rat infestations.

When I first saw one, I thought it was a cat, but it was actually a rat Rhian Davies, who spotted a rat under her garden shed

"There is no co-ordinated approach. Over the last 20 years, it has become increasingly fragmented."

Rhian Davies, from Ewenny, near Bridgend, said she has problems with rats invading the garden shed where she keeps her hens.

"I see the rats from time to time. When I first saw one, I thought it was a cat, but it was actually a rat," said Ms Davies.

Rats are considered a public health risk as they carry a number of viruses and parasites.

One of the most dangerous is leptospirosis, commonly known as weils disease, and they can also pass on salmonella, toxoplasmosis, and cryptosporidiosis.

Weight loss

Cynwyl Davies, from Pwll Trap, Carmarthenshire, caught leptospirosis while working on a farm in New Zealand and he suffered severe weight loss, among other symptoms.

"I didn't realise how seriously ill I was," he said.

"I was in hospital for almost a month. I weighed 12st before becoming ill, but my weight plummeted to 8st," he said.

Dr Meirion Evans, an epidemiologist with the national public health service for Wales, has called for a greater effort to keep rat and mice numbers in check.

He claims they could be responsible for the spread of new diseases or viruses that may develop in the future.

Taro Naw, is broadcast on Tuesday, 6 March, at 2025 GMT on S4C. In Welsh with English subtitles