4 ms·

Alberta is rat free, and is kept that way. Its been rat free for over 50 years now. The border is patrolled to keep the rats out, and there is a hefty $5000 fin

by lgunsch 12y ago

Alberta is rat free, and is kept that way. Its been rat free for over 50 years now. The border is patrolled to keep the rats out, and there is a hefty $5000 fine for keeping rats.

ahelwer 12y ago
Questionable. Rat populations have been found at the Medicine Hat landfill, first in 2012 and again in 2014[1]. I guess it's a good sign that it makes national news when a population is found, but they're almost certainly present elsewhere. [1] http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/several-rats-spotted-at-medicine-hat-landfill-1.2602916 http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/several-rats-spotted-a...
- lgunsch 12y ago
  Yeah, those were big news then. I remember hearing about it. The goal is still definitely to be rat free, and they work hard to tray and keep it that way.
- goodcanadian 12y ago
  Perhaps, it is better to say "largely rat free." I grew up in eastern Alberta, and I certainly never saw a rat until I moved out of province as an adult.
  - aetherson 12y ago
    I mean, I grew up in California, not even remotely rat free, and I think I've seen... three-ish... rats in my nearly 40 years? Besides pets or lab animals. Rats hide. Doesn't mean there aren't a fairly large number of them around.
    - Crito 12y ago
      If you've got a rat infestation in your building, it won't take long to figure it out even if you never see them. They have a tendency to cause a lot of damage and leave their shit all over the place.
    - goodcanadian 12y ago
      OK. I grew up on a farm where I saw plenty of mice and other wildlife that is known for hiding. I never saw a rat nor any evidence of a rat. EDITED to add: We had cats which killed mice and gophers and birds and voles and all sorts of creatures. I NEVER saw a rat. I know it is hard to believe, but Alberta really is (at least mostly) rat free.
      - barrkel 12y ago
        Rats are the one pest that are almost unafraid of humans. Once upon a time, I lived in a wooden cabin that rats had found a way into, via holes cut in the floor for pipes by the kitchen sink. Late in the evening, one would pop up. I could get up to chase it away, but it wouldn't flee until I got close, and it would pop out again a few seconds later. It knew it could out-wait me and there was little I could do to stop it that night. Trying to block the hole merely meant they ate away the wood around the hole, until they could get back in again. Mice aren't a problem at all. You don't want rats.

by lgunsch 12y ago

Alberta is rat free, and is kept that way. Its been rat free for over 50 years now. The border is patrolled to keep the rats out, and there is a hefty $5000 fine for keeping rats.

ahelwer 12y ago

Questionable. Rat populations have been found at the Medicine Hat landfill, first in 2012 and again in 2014[1]. I guess it's a good sign that it makes national news when a population is found, but they're almost certainly present elsewhere. [1] http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/several-rats-spotted-at-medicine-hat-landfill-1.2602916 http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/several-rats-spotted-a...

lgunsch 12y ago
Yeah, those were big news then. I remember hearing about it. The goal is still definitely to be rat free, and they work hard to tray and keep it that way.
goodcanadian 12y ago
Perhaps, it is better to say "largely rat free." I grew up in eastern Alberta, and I certainly never saw a rat until I moved out of province as an adult.
- aetherson 12y ago
  I mean, I grew up in California, not even remotely rat free, and I think I've seen... three-ish... rats in my nearly 40 years? Besides pets or lab animals. Rats hide. Doesn't mean there aren't a fairly large number of them around.
  - Crito 12y ago
    If you've got a rat infestation in your building, it won't take long to figure it out even if you never see them. They have a tendency to cause a lot of damage and leave their shit all over the place.
  - goodcanadian 12y ago
    OK. I grew up on a farm where I saw plenty of mice and other wildlife that is known for hiding. I never saw a rat nor any evidence of a rat. EDITED to add: We had cats which killed mice and gophers and birds and voles and all sorts of creatures. I NEVER saw a rat. I know it is hard to believe, but Alberta really is (at least mostly) rat free.
    - barrkel 12y ago
      Rats are the one pest that are almost unafraid of humans. Once upon a time, I lived in a wooden cabin that rats had found a way into, via holes cut in the floor for pipes by the kitchen sink. Late in the evening, one would pop up. I could get up to chase it away, but it wouldn't flee until I got close, and it would pop out again a few seconds later. It knew it could out-wait me and there was little I could do to stop it that night. Trying to block the hole merely meant they ate away the wood around the hole, until they could get back in again. Mice aren't a problem at all. You don't want rats.