The rat nuisance in Amstelveen is increasing

January 17, 2024 at 1:55 pm

the animals

Amstelveen The number of rats in public spaces and around residents' homes and gardens in Amstelveen has increased in recent years. According to the municipal executive, one of the main reasons is the restriction of chemical control of mice. This makes control of public spaces by municipalities very complex. In addition, high food availability, for example through bird feeding, or as waste in public places. “Because the more food there is, the more mice there will be.”

Another factor is that structural defects, such as holes in foundation and sewers, provide mice with excellent hiding and nesting opportunities. There are also several large building sites in Amstelveen where there is space for rat populations. “Some gains in population control could be made here,” the council says in a letter to the municipal council.

There are no major violations

The municipality receives about 300 reports of rats annually. Fortunately, there do not appear to be major violations. We also want to prevent this in the future through a joint approach,” the council said in a letter to the municipal council. “This approach is not just a matter of a few pipers, but a shared responsibility of professional managers as well as residents, business people and users of public spaces.”

Awareness campaign

The municipality has now begun a new approach in which the living environment of rats is treated, making it less attractive. This would prevent rat populations from becoming so large that epidemics could occur. In this context, a population awareness procedure is also being launched. “We will be holding an information campaign for residents and businesses in Augustine Park and the surrounding area at the beginning of 2024. There are on average a higher number of reports of nuisance in this neighbourhood. The council wants to use the experiences gained here in potential future hotspots.”