• August 17, 2012
• By Jim Johnson

 

In Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada, rats are big news.

In a province that says it is rat-free, the discovery of a rat colony at the city landfill is making headlines.

City officials called a press conference to let the community know they are addressing the problem. A press release was issued.

"Alberta is the only province with rate-free status and we take this very seriously. We have lived without the menace of rats since 1950 when our control program began," said Verlyn Olson, minister of Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development, in a statement.

"Occasionally, small infestations are found and we act quickly to isolate and eradicate them," Olson said this week. "We will be working closely with the city of Medicine Hat until this issue is resolved."

As manager of solid waste for Medicine Hat, Ed Jollymore said an aggressive eradication program has been launched, according to the city. "We are seeing very favorable results and will continue with the implementation and monitor this situation closely," he said in a statement.

The city has hired a pest-control company to establish bait stations on city land and high-risk areas within Medicine Hat.

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