Rats

Report a Rat

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Working Together

Reducing rat activity requires a coordinated effort from the City, residents, businesses, property owners and community partners. 

The City is working with Public Health Sudbury & Districts and other partners to address conditions that contribute to rat activity through prevention, education, waste and litter management, property standards and other practical measures. 

Everyone has a role to play. Keeping properties clean, removing food and shelter, properly managing waste and addressing rat activity early can help reduce rat populations across the community. 

View our digital flyer for easy access these tips and resources.

Help Keep Rats Away

Small actions around your property can make a big difference. 

Rats are a pest and nuisance that can damage property. The most effective way to reduce rat activity is to remove the food, water and shelter they need to survive. 

Public Health Sudbury & Districts recommends keeping properties free of waste and clutter that can provide food for rats or shelter for their nests.  

Food Scraps? Green Cart It.

Your Green Cart is collected every week. Garbage is collected every other week. 

Your green cart accepts all food scraps including those that you cannot put in a backyard composter (bones, bread, meat, etc). Keeping food waste out of garbage bags helps remove an easy food source for rats. Put food scraps and other eligible organic waste in your Green Cart instead. 

Your Green Cart: 

• Is an unlimited weekly collection 
• Is a hard-shelled container with a locking lid to help keep animals out 
• keeps food waste securely contained between collections  
• can be put out every week, even when it isn't full  
• is free for eligible households. Get yours through Waste Wise or by contacting 311. 

Keep your Green Cart closed and locked between collections. 

Make Your Property Less Attractive to Rats

Rats need food, water and shelter to survive. Removing these sources can help prevent and reduce rat activity.  

• Keep garbage and food waste securely contained.  
• Put food scraps and other eligible organic waste in your Green Cart.  
• Don't put garbage at the roadside until your collection day.  
• Don't leave pet food outdoors or put food out for stray or wild animals.  
• Pick up fallen fruit and clean up spilled food and garbage.  
• Remove standing water and address outdoor water sources where possible.  
• Keep yards, garages and sheds free of clutter and debris.  
• Keep grass, weeds, shrubs and vegetation maintained around buildings.  
• Store items and wood piles off the ground and away from buildings where possible.  
• Seal cracks, holes and gaps around foundations, doors, windows and vents that could provide access to buildings.  

Know the Signs

Look around your property for signs of rat activity, including: 

• rat sightings  
• droppings  
• gnaw or chew marks  
• holes or burrows around buildings, gardens or other structures  
• greasy track marks along walls or worn paths through grass  

Rats often use the same routes repeatedly, which can leave visible tracks and rub marks.  

What About Health Risks?

It is extremely rare for rats in Ontario to carry diseases that can affect humans. 

While rats can contaminate food and surfaces through urine, droppings and other waste, Public Health Sudbury & Districts advises that the risk of illness to the general public is extremely low when rats are outdoors. 

Rats are still a pest and nuisance and can cause property damage. Appropriate precautions should be taken when cleaning areas affected by rats or handling potentially contaminated materials.  

Property Conditions Matter

Waste, clutter and debris can give rats places to feed, hide and nest. 

Property standards bylaws can help address property conditions where waste and clutter have accumulated. Enforcing property standards is an important tool the City can use to address conditions that may contribute to rat activity, including the accumulation of waste, clutter and debris.  

Concerned about property conditions in your neighbourhood? Contact 311. 

How to Dispose of Rats:

1. Protect yourself: Put on rubber or plastic gloves and a dust mask before touching anything.
2. Spray and soak: Spray the dead rat, any nearby nesting materials, and droppings with a disinfectant or a mixture of bleach and water. Let it sit for 5 minutes to kill any germs.
3. Double-bag the carcass: Place the rat into a plastic bag and tie it tightly. Put that bag inside a second plastic bag and seal it securely. Do not press the air out of the bags, as this can release unwanted dust.
4. Throw it away: Place the double-bagged waste into a garbage bag and is a covered garbage container if you have one.
5. Clean the area: Disinfect the surrounding area, tools, or reusable traps. Never sweep or vacuum dry droppings or nesting materials, as this spreads particles into the air.
6. Wash up: Wash your gloved hands with soap and water, remove the gloves, and then wash your bare hands thoroughly.

Dealing With an Infestation?

Removing food and shelter and preventing access are important first steps. If you have an active infestation on your property, consider contacting a licensed pest control professional. 

Pest control works best when it is combined with measures that address the conditions attracting rats in the first place. Effective rat control requires a combination of prevention, property maintenance and pest control measures. Addressing the conditions that attract rats is an important part of preventing them from returning.