Minister of Environment Peng Chi-ming (彭啟明) yesterday urged the Taipei City Government to disclose locations of rat poison placement to prevent pets from ingesting it.
The city government has deployed lots of rodenticides as there has been an increase in reports over the past few months of mice and rats being spotted in the city’s prime spots such as Daan (大安) and Zhongshan (中山) districts.
However, some members of the public expressed concern that pets might accidentally ingest the chemicals at parks and other animals might die in large numbers after eating poisoned rats.
Photo: Chang Chung-yi, Taipei Times
Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) has said the rodenticides were approved by the central government and the sites of application are aligned with its guidelines.
Compliant environmental agent use is fundamental, but how to place the rodenticides is also important, Peng said.
Rodenticides should be put in a box preventing pets from exposure, he said, adding that he would ask the city government to disclose locations of rodenticides.
Peng also urged Chiang to host interagency meetings on the issue and report progress to the public.
Taipei Department of Environmental Protection Director Shyu Shyh-shiun said the rodenticides’ placement followed a plan.
The city government would visit the ministry to discuss the issue, he added.
Separately, National Taiwan University Department of Entomology professor emeritus Hsu Err-lieh (徐爾烈) yesterday said rodent control measures taken by people at home or local communities would also be effective.
Physical control measures such as glue traps or cage traps are recommended, as trapped mice would not go to hard-to-clean corners and die there, he said.
People must wear gloves and use tongs to pick up dead rodents, he added.
Rodent control is a universal challenge given that urban areas have many food sources and hiding spots, he said.
Authorities used to conduct nationwide deratization operations annually in the past when rodent-borne infectious diseases were rampant, he said.
Such operations have been suspended for many years due to concern over their harmful impact on non-target animals, Hsu said.
Rodents are nocturnal animals, and their frequent presence in the daytime signals their increased population, he said.
The government should provide guidelines on how to prevent rats from invading households and deal with them outdoors, he said.
To avoid being scratched or bitten, people should avoid approaching or touching a rodent if it resists, he added.
People who get bitten by rodents should immediately go to the emergency room to receive proper medical treatments such as tetanus vaccination or antibiotics, Taipei Medical University emergency medicine professor Kao Wei-feng (高偉峰) said.
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