Rats have brought disease and misery to people since before civilization began. From the Black Death to today’s Hantavirus (very rare in the New York Metro area) rats are a common vector for spreading bacteria, viruses, parasites, fleas, and ticks. Rats are filthy animals because they will swim through sewers and live in rotting trash, spreading contaminates wherever they go. Rats can spread Typhus, Strep, and Meningitis and aggravate allergies. From their droppings to their breath, rats are veritable disease machines.

Rats can cause thousands of dollars of property damage. They have been known to gnaw through PVC plumbing pipes and clogged drains, undermine foundations, destroy structural support beams, and chew through wiring. Rats’ behaviors can cause water damage, building settling or collapse, or even start a fire. Clearly, getting rid of a rat is a top priority.