Between March and June 2021 there was a 35% increase in rodent emergency calls compared to the same period last year.
Rentokil believes that the closings of restaurants and the resulting reduction in food waste in urban areas in the first half of the year likely contributed to high on-call levels as rodents venture into the distance in search of food sources.
The five largest counties that have recorded rodent distress calls are Dublin (25% of calls), Cork (14%), Galway (10%), Tipperary (6%) and Meath (5%).
As restrictions are lifted and businesses reopen, Rentokil urges business owners to keep an eye out for any signs of rodent infestation on their property. Business premises that have been vacant for a long time due to the Covid-19 restrictions can serve as shelter for rodents as they offer protection from the elements and predators.
The company believes rodents are the single most important pest that businesses need to look out for when they return to work. Rodents can cause considerable damage to property and property. Rats and mice spend extended periods of time each day grinding their teeth on surrounding objects and, as a result, can chew through utility lines, electrical wires, support beams, and other vital infrastructure.
The presence of rodents in a company also poses a serious reputational risk as well as a health risk due to the spread of diseases through their body fluids and excrement.
Richard Faulkner, Advanced Technical Field Consultant at Rentokil, said, “As restrictions are lifted and stores reopen, we encourage owners and employees to be careful about the presence of rodents on their property. Rodents are likely to have found homes in some of the vacant buildings in recent months, so we expect the number of 911 calls to control the pests to remain high.
“Signs to look out for are rodent droppings, scratching noises, and footprints. If companies believe they have a rodent problem, we recommend using unmanned, digital solutions before fully reopening. “
Businesses are encouraged to explore unmanned, non-toxic pest control solutions like PestConnect, a digital solution that provides 24-hour protection from rodents. Using a system of infrared sensors, it detects and catches rodents or kills them in a humane way with automatically deployed bait stations and traps.
Unmanned devices like PestConnect do not require human interaction. Once installed, a technician will only come by if a rodent has been caught, reducing unnecessary site visits and allowing social distancing guidelines to be followed. The device sends updates and reports to users online.
