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Original poster

Rat with broken leg in my garden

260 replies

HgnncaNameMy · 16/06/2020 11:46

There's a grassy area behind my house full of rats and mice. I moved here in February and the neighbours said theres a massive rat problem

I have 4 cats so don't have many issues

Theres currently a rat hiding under the kids garden toy and its leg is definetly broken, 3 of its legs seem fine but it's dragging one behind it

Who can i ring about this? Will someone come out and take it?

I know people class them as vermin but it's still a living creature that must be in absolute agony right now

OP posts:
Pemba · 16/06/2020 12:42

FGS.

As someone said on a previous similar thread 'It's a rat, not a basket of kittens'.

I do care for wildlife in general but rats are vermin. A danger to health. (pet rats excepted). Have you heard of Weil's disease, bubonic plague, the Black Death?

Wack it over the head with a spade or if you can't face that just leave it, it'll be gone soon enough.

MozzchopsThirty · 16/06/2020 12:42

I would put a spade through its neck

Friedbluetomatoes · 16/06/2020 12:43

Call your local pest control officer. They will sort it all out for you. I’m a country girl and we often have rats, mice etc but I’m way to much of a wimp to put anything out of its misery, Dh on the other hand has the shotgun out at any chance, he hates rats, he once witnessed a massive one kill a Jack Russell on the farm he worked on.

lynsey91 · 16/06/2020 12:47

I would not be able to kill it. Some bloodthirsty posters on here.

I could not kill a living creature. Even rats have the right to live. I would ring round vets and/or wildlife rescues.

I have seen a rat in our garden eating the bird food. I would not dream of trying to kill it

GreyGardens88 · 16/06/2020 12:48

What about drowning it in a bucket?

Baboomtsk · 16/06/2020 12:49

Blunt object to the head is the most humane course of action op. I once had to do something similar and was surprised at how difficult I found it to overcome my inhibition to harm an animal like that. I felt better once it was done though.

It may find the strength to scarper once you get close. Maybe wear boots in case it turns nasty.

hoodathunkit · 16/06/2020 12:50

I would suggest throwing an old rag over it so as to decrease its stress and then whack it with a spade or stamp on it.

I couldn't let an intelligent living creature suffer unnecessarily

Haretodaygonetomorrow · 16/06/2020 12:51

@GreyGardens88

What about drowning it in a bucket?
No. Drowning is an inhumane way to kill it.
mylittleyumyum · 16/06/2020 12:51

Let's assume op is a buddhist for the purposes of this thread.

Local wildlife rescue should be able to offer more helpful assistance.

Akrotiri1 · 16/06/2020 12:53

I would just let nature take its course and try not to dwell on it...…

It will either survive and adapt, (rodents can heal very efficiently and quickly from a broken limb), or let a predator euthanise it.

I would certainly not try and dispatch it yourself unless you are100% confident you will do the job quickly and efficiently - otherwise it will just suffer more.

As a little aside I feed the squirrels in our garden and noticed after a windy spell, one of the regulars turned up to their feeding station with a broken/dangling front paw. However 3 weeks later it is now weight bearing on it again and hopping around quite happily.

Sharkerr · 16/06/2020 12:54

Amusing how many posters are saying ‘it’s a rat’

Well done on your fantastic powers of observation.

bluevioletcrimsonsky · 16/06/2020 12:54

If you didn't have cats, I can see why you are worried about a rat. But you have 4 cats. Seems a bit unreasonable. Just leave it to the nature to sort it out.

GetUpAgain · 16/06/2020 12:55

It is easy to say kill it, but it would be the kindest thing. If you have no spade etc, I think putting it in a bag and running it over is the next most practical suggestion.

Baboomtsk · 16/06/2020 12:56

@lynsey91

There is no right to life in nature and an injured animal in the wild does not have a rosy future.

Mice and rats living in close proximity to people can cause serious problems and I doubt that any vets would put themselves at risk by attempting to treat a wild rat other than by putting it down.

PiggyPlumPie · 16/06/2020 12:56

We took a blackbird with an injured leg to the vets this morning. They said SSPCA wouldn't come out at the moment but they would take it.

I assume it will have been euthanised. Couldn't leave it to suffer or get killed by a cat.

Babdoc · 16/06/2020 12:57

OP, I can’t believe that you are apparently not only tolerating a serious vermin infestation in your garden, but actually wanting to seek veterinary help for them!

For goodness’ sake, get the pest controllers in before you or your family suffer health problems or get bitten. It’s a matter of time before the rats find their way inside your house, if they’re not in already, in voids, pipe ducts or attics. And as PPs have said, just hit the injured one with a spade.

Pemba · 16/06/2020 12:57

Lynsey91 you do realise that your kindly attitude may be encouraging rats in your whole street? That's what my local council Pest control officer told me, a lot of rat activity is caused by them discovering food put out for the birds. Or even fallen fruit. Your neighbours would probably be horrified. I know you are trying to be kind, but you really need to rethink and call your local Pest Control.

TimelyManor · 16/06/2020 12:57

A natural death is seldom very pleasant. A spade swiftly to the skull (from behind if possible) would be the quickest and kindest thing.

recycledteenager24 · 16/06/2020 12:58

i've killed injured rats before with a spade, makes it quick and painless.

justasking111 · 16/06/2020 12:59

Found an injured seagull hit by a car had been wandering around for a day or two apparently it was half dead awful to see. A neighbours son did the deed for us.

donquixotedelamancha · 16/06/2020 12:59

put it in a bag and run it over.
decapitate it with a shovel
I opened the back door and could hear the rat screaming.
put it out of it's misery with a spade to the head.
Put it out of its misery with a heavy brick.
Brick to the bonce
just bash it over the head with something heavy
a hammer does the trick
I would have smacked it over the head with a shovel by now
you have to pull like you're trying to wrench the head off

This is a jolly little thread, isn't it?

I would strap it to a table and have a very slow moving laser beam bisect it. Don't forget to gloat, then leave the room without checking it doesn't escape.

Lougle · 16/06/2020 13:00

We had that exact situation last week when our cat brought in a rat that was lame from the pursuit. DH dispatched it.

It's one of the not so nice parts of owning a cat.

Haworthia · 16/06/2020 13:01

Who owns the area behind your house? You need to call the council about the rat problem. It’s a massive health hazard. I know you said you have cats, but that doesn’t mean you have to live side by side with vermin!

And yes, that rat needs dispatching I’m afraid.

StarryGazeyEyes · 16/06/2020 13:01

Give your vet a call - ours has taken injured wildlife before. Best outcome they can be passed on to a rescue and worst they can euthanise humanely.

Original poster
HgnncaNameMy · 16/06/2020 13:01

My friend has come round and collected the rat. Her DP is going to release it in the fields. Her DP said vets wouldnt take it and he's never known a rescue to take a rat but he has known rats to adapt to a broken leg.

I dont know why people felt the need to be rude. I don't feel comfortable killing somthing whether it's vermin or not.

We didnt find out about the rat problem until after we had moved in. If I had known before hand i wouldnt of moved into this house. I complained to the council a few weeks ago but havnt heard anything back and the neighbours said they have been complaining for years and nothing happens.

I've doused the toy in bleach and the area around it. I was too frightened to attempt to pick it up myself.

OP posts: