Animal Protection Alliance Calls for 3-Pronged Approach to Rat Control, Suggests Strengthening Rat-Proof Design in Public Spaces
The Taiwan Animal Protection Administrative Supervision Alliance has proposed three directions for fundamental rat control: strengthening waste and food waste management, promoting civic education, and enhancing rat-proof designs in buildings and public spaces. They emphasize that rat control should be viewed as a matter of urban governance rather than mere extermination.
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- 📰 Published: May 5, 2026 at 16:36
- 🔍 Collected: May 5, 2026 at 17:01 (25 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 5, 2026 at 17:04 (2 min after Collected)
Central News Agency
(Central News Agency reporter Wang Shu-fen, Taipei, May 5th) The recent issue of rat infestation has sparked widespread discussion. The Taiwan Animal Protection Administrative Supervision Alliance today proposed three fundamental directions for control: in addition to strengthening waste and food waste management and promoting civic education, rat-proof designs in buildings and public spaces should also be enhanced.
Zhang Sheng-man, chairman of the alliance and founder of the Taiwan Rodent Association, stated that the rat problem can no longer be handled with traditional, crude, and temporarily effective methods, especially not just by extensively deploying rat poison. While rat poison may seem effective in the short term, if the urban environment continues to deteriorate, and waste and food waste management lose control, with food sources not being cut off, rats will still reproduce rapidly, and the problem will quickly worsen again. The issue should be addressed by tackling urban environmental problems at their source.
Furthermore, Zhang Sheng-man mentioned that climate change will also make vector-borne diseases and rat problems harder to control. Warmer weather and insufficiently cold winters could extend the active period for rats and vectors, increasing the risks of reproduction and spread. Rat infestation is not merely a "rat extermination" problem but a warning sign for urban governance and public health.
The alliance calls for implementing rat control from three fundamental directions. First, the government must strengthen waste and food waste management. The alliance believes that Taiwan's dining, snack, night market, and eating-out culture are highly developed. If food scraps, food waste, garbage collection, and community garbage room management are not done well, it continuously provides food sources for rats every day.
Second, the alliance suggests strengthening rat-proof designs in buildings and public spaces because rats can enter buildings through drains, pipelines, wall gaps, and underground spaces. Community buildings, restaurants, markets, MRT stations, underground shopping areas, and public facilities should establish more comprehensive rat-proof inspection and improvement mechanisms.
The alliance also believes that civic education and operator responsibility must be promoted. The alliance argues that rat control cannot solely rely on government-provided poisons; it also requires the cooperation of residents, businesses, management committees, property management companies, and cleaning operators. No garbage on the ground, proper food waste disposal, no exposed food, and no accumulation of clutter in the environment are basic responsibilities.
The alliance suggests that the government should refer to the experiences of European and American cities, especially New York, which has severe rat problems, and elevate rat control to a comprehensive urban governance plan, rather than stopping at disinfection, poisoning, and short-term extermination. Only by cutting off food sources, blocking nesting spaces, and improving environmental management from the source can rat infestation truly be reduced, instead of poisoning year after year with recurring problems.
(Central News Agency reporter Wang Shu-fen, Taipei, May 5th) The recent issue of rat infestation has sparked widespread discussion. The Taiwan Animal Protection Administrative Supervision Alliance today proposed three fundamental directions for control: in addition to strengthening waste and food waste management and promoting civic education, rat-proof designs in buildings and public spaces should also be enhanced.
Zhang Sheng-man, chairman of the alliance and founder of the Taiwan Rodent Association, stated that the rat problem can no longer be handled with traditional, crude, and temporarily effective methods, especially not just by extensively deploying rat poison. While rat poison may seem effective in the short term, if the urban environment continues to deteriorate, and waste and food waste management lose control, with food sources not being cut off, rats will still reproduce rapidly, and the problem will quickly worsen again. The issue should be addressed by tackling urban environmental problems at their source.
Furthermore, Zhang Sheng-man mentioned that climate change will also make vector-borne diseases and rat problems harder to control. Warmer weather and insufficiently cold winters could extend the active period for rats and vectors, increasing the risks of reproduction and spread. Rat infestation is not merely a "rat extermination" problem but a warning sign for urban governance and public health.
The alliance calls for implementing rat control from three fundamental directions. First, the government must strengthen waste and food waste management. The alliance believes that Taiwan's dining, snack, night market, and eating-out culture are highly developed. If food scraps, food waste, garbage collection, and community garbage room management are not done well, it continuously provides food sources for rats every day.
Second, the alliance suggests strengthening rat-proof designs in buildings and public spaces because rats can enter buildings through drains, pipelines, wall gaps, and underground spaces. Community buildings, restaurants, markets, MRT stations, underground shopping areas, and public facilities should establish more comprehensive rat-proof inspection and improvement mechanisms.
The alliance also believes that civic education and operator responsibility must be promoted. The alliance argues that rat control cannot solely rely on government-provided poisons; it also requires the cooperation of residents, businesses, management committees, property management companies, and cleaning operators. No garbage on the ground, proper food waste disposal, no exposed food, and no accumulation of clutter in the environment are basic responsibilities.
The alliance suggests that the government should refer to the experiences of European and American cities, especially New York, which has severe rat problems, and elevate rat control to a comprehensive urban governance plan, rather than stopping at disinfection, poisoning, and short-term extermination. Only by cutting off food sources, blocking nesting spaces, and improving environmental management from the source can rat infestation truly be reduced, instead of poisoning year after year with recurring problems.