Taking advantage of stagnant water and abundant waste in the area, rodents have taken up residence in the pond of the Old Port in the Chicoutimi borough, in Saguenay.
During the passage of TVA Nouvelles on Monday, several rats and half a dozen burrows dug in the ground were visible. Rodents mostly squeezed into crevices near nearby waterfalls and waded into the pond.
A citizen alerted city councilor Marc Pettersen to the presence of rodents this weekend. The latter wants Saguenay to intervene in this matter quickly.
“Me, I mandate the City to do what is necessary”, explained Mr. Pettersen.
Traps and poisons could be used, he said. “The rat, we can’t eliminate it completely, but we can control it,” he said. I think we will be able to address the problem fairly quickly. ”
Self-serve buffet
On Monday, garbage and food scraps abounded under park benches near the pond.
“With all the food on the ground, for [le rat], it’s an open-air pantry, ”lamented Steeve Lapointe, pest control technician at Desjardins Environment.
Other factors, such as the heavy rains of the last few days and the proximity of the manholes and the Saguenay River, explain their proliferation, he said.
Asked about the issue of traps, Mr. Lapointe believes that prevention is better than poison in this specific case.
“There are baiting systems that can be installed, but you always have to think about using that as a last resort. Using as few chemicals as possible the better. ”
What is the best medicine? “Keep the places clean, unobstructed, to prevent them from hiding,” he replied.
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