Gwinnett County

Non-profit offers natural way to get rid of rodents

By Carl Willis
By Carl Willis

GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — Snakes, rats and other wild animals are causing concern for homeowners lately. But a Gwinnett County nonprofit group says they have the solution - stray cats.

In the span of a week, Channel 2 Action News has received calls about two separate incidents where residents said their apartments and condos were being invaded by rats.

"It's not safe for the kids to take the trash out," Leandea Smith told Channel 2’s Carl Willis while reporting on the problems at her apartment complex.

Snakes, rats and other wild animals are causing concern for homeowners lately.

It’s an unsettling problem that doesn't have to exist according to those at Lawrenceville's Planned Pethood.

"It's a very easy fix in reality," Planned Pethood volunteer Amy Davenport told Willis.

The organization contacted Willis offering a natural solution: free, organic rodent control by way of starting a controlled feral cat colony.

“It will keep other cats out, the rats will go away,” Davenport said. “And the problem is solved.”

“They will take care of any rats, moles, mice, snakes. They will hunt all of these things naturally,” said Jeani Wampler with Planned Pethood.

They say two problems would actually be solved: Getting rid of rodents and controlling the population of outdoor, un-socialized cats by trapping, neutering and then returning the cats to areas that need rodent solutions.

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They would be similar to having a barn cat.

Still, the organization knows some may have reservations.

"All they would be is background. They wouldn't be doing the making of babies and the yelling and fighting because they've already been altered," Wampler told Willis.

Planned Pethood said Gwinnett County's feral cat population is getting out of control with an estimated 20,000 feral cats.

They're calling on volunteers to help trap and they say in dire situations they could find grant money to take care of fees to fix the cats

"It's that serious and we really need to do something before it gets worse," Wampler said.

Click here to learn more about Planned Pethood.

Cox Media Group

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