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SUNDAY, APRIL 21, 1985
FIGHT AGAINST RATS GOES ON
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MORE THAN 56 000 RATS WERE DESTROYED BY PEST CONTROL OFFICERS OF THE REGIONAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT LAST YEAR, DURING 385 BLOCK DISINFESTATION AND 740 HOLE-BAITING OPERATIONS IN THE NEW TERRITORIES.
THE OPERATIONS ARE AN ON-GOING EXERCISE TO PROTECT THE PUBLIC AGAINST DISEASES WHICH MAY BE TRANSMITTED BY RATS, A SPOKESMAN FOR RSD SAID TODAY.
PEST CONTROL OFFICERS FROM VARIOUS RSD DISTRICT OFFICES INSPECT ALL POSSIBLE RODENT BREEDING PLACES ON A REGULAR BASIS, AND PLACE TRAPS OR APPLY POISON ONCE RODENT BREEDING IS TRACED, HE SAID.
THE SPOKESMAN STRESSED, HOWEVER, THAT THERE WERE NO LONG-LASTING METHODS TO EXTERMINATE RATS AS ALL CONTROL MEASURES WERE EASILY +OFFSET BY THE RAPID REPRODUCTION CAPACITY OF RATS.+
AS RATS USE ALL AVAILABLE FOOD AND SHELTERING PLACES TO BREED, THE BEST WAY TO STOP THEM FROM MULTIPLYING IS TO KEEP ALL FOOD IN RAT-PROOF CONTAINERS TO LEAVE NO REFUSE AROUND, HE SAID.
IT WAS EQUALLY IMPORTANT NOT TO GIVE RATS A PLACE TO HIDE EITHER BEHIND OPENINGS ON FLOORS, WALLS OR IN VENTILATION DUCTS.
+A BUILDING THAT IS CLEAN AND WELL-MAINTAINED KEEPS RATS AWAY, THE SPOKESMAN ADDED.
NEW TERRITORIES RESIDENTS WHO ENCOUNTER RODENT
NUISANCE ARE ADVISED TO CONTACT THEIR RESPECTIVE DISTRICT OFFICES OF THE RSD FOR ASSISTANCE.