2023-11-28 12:53:00
A rodent control operation was carried out in the streets of Etterbeek this morning. Residents and traders complain about rats in the street… This time, the pests are eradicated thanks to ferrets…
In this neighborhood in Brussels, rats are well established. They come out in broad daylight and become well-known neighbors to local residents: “If I go out with the doggie, we risk seeing a little rat or a little fox indeed“, explains one of the residents of the neighborhood. Another resident also explains that coming across these small rodents has almost become a habit: “When I put my trash in and opened my door, there was a little mouse coming out. I’m scared… But I’m not careless so I’m very careful!”
The discontent of local residents joins that of traders. To stem the phenomenon, the municipality called on Jean de Marcken, environmental nuisance manager for the municipality of Etterbeek. This employee has worked with ferrets for around twenty years. Once the burrows are located by his dog, Jean places the ferrets which are the perfect size to fit into the holes dug by the rats: “The next step is to wait for the rats to come out“, he explains.
And it won’t take long to spot some. From the start of our interview, the little rodents appear: “Hop there! There you go, a rat!” Jean exclaims. Its ferrets are specifically selected and trained to attack rats: “The most important thing is to put them in the presence of a rat. In a large box, I then put a rat, and a ferret.”
Once again, the interview is cut short by the discovery of another rodent. This time, it’s Jean’s dog, named Théo, who is in charge. Even if the rat unfortunately lost its life during this operation, this is not Jean’s primary objective. The main goal remains to relocate the rats so that they return to the sewers: “The gate is then closed and the animals remain inside. They are therefore no longer in contact with the population and that is what is necessary.”
The municipality of Etterbeek has been using this technique for more than 10 years, which is cheaper and more effective than toxic products.
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