Rats focus of Kelligrews yelling match

A yelling match erupted after a man in Conception Bay South blamed nearby bulk garbage for an apparent rat problem, but another neighbour said the pile has nothing to do with it.

Glenn Simpson said he's put out rat poison, but his property in Kelligrews is still overrun by rats chewing up his fence and digging holes under his shed and porch.

Simpson blames construction that built a road on top of a marsh, a closed restaurant, and inaction from town council as well as the pile of bulk garbage next to his property line for the infestation.

"I don't want no rodents around here. I can't afford to spend the money to clean up somebody else's problem," said Simpson.

"I did everything I'm supposed to do to keep the rodents away, now, through no fault of mine, these rodents are coming onto my property, they're chewing on my fence, and it's all because of the garbage and stuff that's around here."

Rodent opponents

While Simpson was talking to CBC News, Deanna King came out to confront Simpson, using extremely strong language to say the bulk garbage items are not to blame for a rat problem that she said is on the decline.

"I've lived in this building 10 years now, and since they've taken out [a nearby road] the rat problem is gone. We used to blame it on the restaurant, but they had pest control here all the time," said King.

"We have no rat issues. We did, I will sit here and say that … but there's nothing here."

King said she's waiting for the town to come on June 16 and pick up the bulk garbage, which includes furniture.

The neighbours may have to agree to disagree on the issue; Simpson said he's been in touch with council to do something about the alleged rat problem, but hasn't had any luck.

The Mayor told CBC News that enforcement officials checked out the property earlier after receiving a complaint, and don't believe the garbage is the problem.

But after the story first aired on CBC Radio earlier Friday, the town cleaned up the mess.