Discovered another rat this morning

[Elasticatedwaist]

Dh has disposed of it . We are semi rural , moved here just a few months ago. Last week there was a huge dead rat on the pavement outside and this morning one in my garden. Next doors garden is very overgrown. Could this be the issue ? Or are rats just par for the course living here ?
should I ring a rat man or something ? I’m a bit grossed out and I have a small dog so i don’t want anything harming him .

Rats are everywhere. The dog would probably like to kill a rat, ours used to. The dog will help deter them from your property. A rat won't hurt a dog, dogs are above rats in the food chain.

I think you may need to observe to see where they are coming from but being honest I think you need to get used to the idea of rats! Unless they are on your property or very visibly infesting a neighbour there is little you can do.

Oh, just thought - do you mean rat poison harming a dog? Yes that could happen if someone is laying poison. Don't let your dog eat any rats.

Yeah I wondered if there might be poison somewhere.

You can't do anything about that and poison is just as likely in urban areas.

I think you need to just try to get your head round rats. I used to scrape them up with a coal shovel so I didn't have to touch them. Of course they are gross but I saw one trotting across my urban road last week. They are everywhere!

Priority is ensure no entry points to your home.

Any more rats OP? Our neighbours apple tree has lots of rotting windfall apples underneath which are attracting rats. We've never had them before and we are semi rural but I've seen two in the garden peeking from the neighbours fence into ours and shooed them away.
Currently putting down traps and various deterrents as they are starting to go under our shed and I'm scared they've made a nest there.

I am speaking from experience:

Dont feed the birds! It’s a ready buffet for rats. Ask your neighbours not to either.

Dont put yr own purchased poison down because Owls eat rats & mice & then Owls die a terrible death.

Call in a licensed Vermin Controller who will locate the runs & source. They will put strong rat poison down the rat runs under ground. Might take more than one visit. He’ll know exactly what to do.

King rat takes poison back to nest. Voila, rats die under ground where no other creature can get to them.

If they are under a warm dry shed, that’s rat winter heaven and you’re doomed. 🙄

Rat poison from hardware superstores is not strong enough to eradicate. You need the rat catcher who is licensed for the stronger poisons.
Good luck.

We had a rat in our garden (semi rural) and the pest control bloke said there's nothing that can be done. "There's a rat behind every toilet" was his actual quote.
We've never had any issues with them in the house, but have stopped feeding the birds because the rat was getting into the shed to eat the bird food and defecating on everything

I am sick with worry that they will be under the shed. I can't stop going outside to check.
We used to have a dog but she passed away this year and we can't bear to have another as we still miss her, but I bet she was a good deterrent bless her.