Sadly I have had a resident inform me that there is a rat infestation at Hamsey Green pond. We did have a problem with rats at Sanderstead pond before and the council kindly put up signs warning residents about over feeding the ducks and leaving bread in the water which of course was encouraging them to nest in the area. This is of course a very serious matter and is in fact quite dangerous as rats can cause Weil's disease.
I thought it was worth informing you of the dangers of contracting Weil’s disease.
Weil's disease is a form of a bacterial infection also known as Leptospirosis that is carried by animals, most commonly in rats and cattle. It can be caught by humans through contact with rat or cattle urine, most commonly occurring through contaminated fresh water. Although human infection in the UK is minimal it is still worth taking some preventative measures to decrease the possibility of contracting it.
I would hate for anyone to become seriously ill and as a result I have contacted the council and our Director of Public Health to see what can be done.
In the meantime do be careful around the pond and do take your litter, particularly food waste home.
