Rat plague in Paunsdorf: Citizens demand immediate action!

Rat plague in Paunsdorf: Citizens demand immediate action!

The rat infestation in Paunsdorf, a district of Leipzig, has become significantly worse in the last 15 years. Martin Haug from MDR reports on an alarming situation that is keeping not only residents but also the city administration on tenterhooks. Rats feel extremely comfortable in vehicle engines. Haug himself has already discovered four rats at the same time under the hood of his car. This has led to many residents regularly checking their vehicles for rat infestation.

The Southeast City District Advisory Board has now sounded the alarm and called a city council meeting. Beate Ehms from the Left Party presented a large number of citizen complaints at this meeting. Since January 2024, at least ten reports have been made to city offices, with many citizens often being sent back and forth between different offices without receiving clear assistance. A resident describes her walk home in the evening as “very scary” due to the numerous rats that are in the area.

State of the public and waste problems

The rubbish bins on Goldsternstrasse are often overflowing and there are bags of rubbish deliberately dumped next to them. These unsanitary conditions, along with uneven stone slabs, are ideal habitats for rats. One resident, senior citizen Ms. Huhn, has observed rats in playgrounds, particularly where leftover food can be found.

The city cleaning department emphasizes the difficulties in the fight against the rat population. Employees point out that traps used for control could also endanger other animals. In addition, city councilor Beate Ehms points out that improper waste disposal by citizens further exacerbates the rat problem.

City administration reacts

Mayor Heiko Rosenthal (Left) has now announced that he will actively address the problem. While a working group to combat the rat plague was initially rejected, a unanimous decision was made to take targeted action against the rats. The challenge is great, especially given that similar problems exist in other cities such as Düsseldorf, where Hassna Humama had a frightening encounter with a rat.

Poison bait traps containing rodenticides were set up in Düsseldorf, the use of which is currently being reviewed by the Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. However, rodenticides pose considerable risks for domestic and wild animals and are problematic in terms of their degradability. Critics fear that the uncontrolled spread of the rat population cannot be contained without the use of rat poison.

Alternative solutions and health risks

The German Animal Welfare Association has already recommended alternative measures to combat rats, including sealing trash cans and using live traps. Despite concerns about rat populations in urban areas, Professor Anja Günther argues that the number of rats in cities is lower than that of humans and that problems are often isolated, such as those at landfills.

With the reassessment of rat poison approval, the debate about the most sensible ways to combat the plague will continue. The reactions and measures in Leipzig could be groundbreaking for other cities in Germany that have similar problems.