5A rat measuring more than 22 inches from nose to tail was discovered this past week inside a home in North Yorkshire, England.
What’s worse than the fact that a rat this size was caught? Apparently, it’s not uncommon in the area.
Local Eston Ward councilors David Taylor and Stephen Martin shared the disturbing find in a Facebook post on July 28, calling the rodent “massive” and warning that it’s “almost the size of a small cat.”
The officials said of the vermin, “It’s not a one-off.”
“This is a growing problem,” they wrote. “The longer this is ignored, the worse it will get. We need action — not just advice.”
The social media post included a photo of the enormous rat stuffed inside a clear plastic bag. It was reportedly found by a pest control worker.
“Rats are being spotted more and more around our area,” the councilors wrote in the original post.
The sightings happen “in alleyways,” “around bins,” “on overgrown land,” “crossing the streets,” and now “inside homes,” per the post.
They criticized the local government for allowing public spaces to become “overgrown,” letting trash cans overflow in some areas, as well as failing to treat plots controlled by the council.
“And where do rats go first? Untouched land and easy food,” the pair wrote.
On Aug. 3, Taylor and Martin provided an update, saying the region had dealt with rats two years ago, but adding that the problem has now returned “in even greater numbers.”
As local representatives, Taylor and Martin called for “a full vermin survey and treatment plan across the borough.”
They also demanded “proper funding to tackle infestations” and “joint action with businesses, landlords, and social housing providers.”
As People magazine noted, female brown rats begin reproducing around three months of age and can produce five litters per year, with up to 12 young per litter.
That means even one rat can become a serious problem in just a matter of weeks.
According to AZ Animals, rats are all over the U.S., and roughly seven billion of them live among us globally.
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