A rat invasion has been reported in Glasgow, with a staggering 60,000 sightings of rodents in homes and streets since 2019. This is a worrying trend that has been consistently rising each year, with more than 60,000 reports since 2019. The situation is so dire that it has been dubbed 'Scotland's rat capital'. But here's where it gets controversial: while the council has received 6,170 reports of rats in 2019, the actual number may be much higher. And this is the part most people miss: the council's figures only account for reported sightings, not the actual rat population. So, how can we trust the numbers when the problem is so widespread? What's more, the issue is not limited to certain areas. Dumbarton Road, Paisley Road West, Argyle Street, Shettleston Road, Hathaway Lane, and London Road have all topped the list for rodent sightings. But why is this happening? The GMB's Chris Mitchell believes it's due to the warm weather this summer, which could cause a further explosion in rat numbers. He says, 'I've been banging the drum on this problem for what feels like forever. My fear is it is moving increasingly into the city centre, all I hear from our members are reports of rats in bins, rats running about Glasgow's lanes and even some sightings in the flagship shopping spots.' So, what can be done about this? The council has asked the public to help by ensuring all food waste is properly disposed of in a bin. They have also extended their pest control team and introduced on-street bin hubs to improve waste management and control the pest population. However, some argue that more needs to be done to tackle the rat crisis. What do you think? Do you agree with the council's approach, or do you think more needs to be done? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
