Rats in Saxony's cities - waste as the main cause

The more garbage there is lying around, the more comfortable rats feel. The rodents can easily find food and shelter in cities, especially where garbage is carelessly disposed of or food scraps are accessible. What is the situation like in Saxony's major cities?

While Chemnitz currently sees no cause for concern, Leipzig and Dresden are monitoring the situation and relying on different strategies for prevention and control.

Chemnitz sees no problem with rats

In Chemnitz, the city says it currently has "no problem with rats". The number of reported cases has also remained stable in recent years and there are no particularly affected districts. Citizens can still report sightings - for example by telephone or via the city's defect reporter. In such cases, the cause is investigated promptly, for example in the case of illegal waste dumping.

Leipzig: Rats are "part of the usual cityscape"

In Leipzig, however, rats are "part of the usual cityscape", according to the city. Particularly in the districts of Paunsdorf and Grünau, there are regularly increased numbers of cases.

According to the city administration, however, the number of reports remains constant overall. The hazard prevention authority is responsible for obliging the owners of infested properties to take action. Anyone who does not comply with the request must expect regulatory measures to be taken.

Occasional inspections in Dresden

Dresden also describes the rat population as stable. Although the animals can be found in all parts of the city, there is no major problem as long as property owners and users do their bit to limit the food supply.

The city refers to a police ordinance that prohibits the feeding of rats. Visual inspections by the administration are therefore mainly carried out on an ad hoc basis. Rat infestations must be reported to the Office for Health and Prevention.

Dresden sees challenges above all when leftovers and food waste are disposed of improperly. This is because the more food the animals find, the more the population grows.