Last April 2013, bbc.co.uk reported that the owner of a French diner in Edinburgh was fined after health inspectors found a dead, decaying rat in his kitchen just by the food preparation station. The owner, reportedly, had already received two health department warnings in the past about rodent infestation. Although the inspectors advised him to engage some rodent control professionals to address the problem, all the owner bothered to do was lay out some rat poison.

A rat infestations in a restaurant or in any other place is no laughing matter, outside of a Disney movie. The presence of even a single rat in diners cannot be taken lightly, as these rodents could carry some of the most dangerous diseases known to man. The Black Death in the Middle Ages, which claimed the lives of a third of Europe by the plague’s end, spread rapidly with rodents and their fleas as primary vectors of the deadly bubonic disease.

Modern man seems to carry that instinctive repulsion for rodents when they come anywhere near food or their means for maintaining hygiene. In this century, Weil’s disease, more commonly known as Leptospirosis, is a rodent-borne disease transmitted to humans if they come in contact with soil or water contaminated by the bacteria Leptospira from the urine of rats and other creatures. As rats are indiscriminate about where they relieve themselves, there is always the danger of food stocks and receptacles becoming contaminated.

Today’s pest control contractors, such as Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control, are equipped with advanced tools and techniques to rid one’s premises of rodents. Some of the more common techniques rodent control companies use include live traps, lures, and a host of other humane and environmentally-friendly means of removing the animals from homes and establishments. These companies also promote means of preventing infestations in your building.

As the BBC article pointed out, reluctance in financing control measures to maintain hygienic conditions in the business premises seems to be the primary reason for the failure of many dining establishments to abide by simple health regulations. The cause of infestation in the Edinburgh incident was nearby tram work that upset the rat settlements in the area. Whichever the cause may be, whether you are in business or not, it is clear you can’t afford to be on the bad side of the law or your health.

Contact reputable rodent control companies for consultation and an estimate at the first sign of rodents in your home. Preventing a full infestation is best done by addressing the problem before it even begins. Caution is key; regularly inspect your establishment for signs of incursion by pests that should also include flies, mosquitoes, skunks, bats and other harmful critters.