Rat the size of a dog found as monster vermin run riot in Yorkshire village
The potentially record-breaking rodent is the same size as a typical American badger with witnesses saying it was more similar to a small dog.
Images of the massive rat – discovered recently in a family home in Normanby in Redcar and Cleveland – quickly went viral.
Two of the borough's Conservative councillors called for action to be taken to contain the area's 'overflowing' rodent population.
David Taylor and Stephen Martin, both Tory councillors, criticised the Labour-run Redcar and Cleveland Council and called for a full vermin study to be carried out.
In aFacebook post, Mr Taylor described public bins in parts of the Eston and Whale Hill area as 'overflowing' with rats.
He wrote: 'It's almost the size of a small cat. And it's not a one-off.
'The longer this is ignored, the worse it will get. We need action — not just advice.'
The rodent has been likened to a 'sewer rat', and while it is unknown how it accessed the property, rats had been reported in the nearby area.
Overgrown vegetation on public land can also provide the animals with shelter, they added.
Mr Taylor said: 'The longer this is ignored, the worse it will get. It is a growing problem.'
He said the rat caught was 'massive', and compared it to a small cat or dog.
Pest controllers told him that only a typical sewer rat could get that big.
He said a rat cull would 'cost a fortune', but the population was a health risk as rats can carry diseases.
'They'll keep multiplying and unless there is a big cull in the area, people will keep experiencing this,' he said.
A spokeswoman for the council said: 'The council has a dedicated pest control officer who manages pest issues on council-owned land.
'While we no longer provide a wider pest control service, we do offer advice to residents where possible.
'The council continues to work with Beyond Housing, Northumbrian Water and other partners to address complex issues and explore potential solutions.
'There is also helpful guidance and preventative measures on our website to support people in dealing with pests.'
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The Independent
13 hours ago
- The Independent
Warning issued after rat the ‘size of a small cat' found in UK home
A supersized rat, measuring 22 inches long, was captured by pest controllers at a home in the Normanby area of Redcar and Cleveland. Councillors described the rodent as 'almost the size of a small cat ' and claim pest control issues have become 'out of control' since the end of free services in the Labour -run local authority. Eston ward councillor David Taylor stated that rodents are becoming 'brazen' and called for an 'urgent action plan' including a borough-wide survey and treatment plan. The Redcar and Cleveland council clarified that it has a dedicated pest control officer for council-owned land and offers advice to residents, while working with partners to address complex issues. This rat is thought to be the biggest caught in the UK, surpassing a 21-inch rat found in Bournemouth in 2018, with average UK rats growing up to 11 inches.
South Wales Argus
14 hours ago
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Giant rat size of a small cat discovered in UK home
The potentially record-breaking rat in UK terms - said to measure approximately 22 inches long from nose to tail - was discovered recently in a property in Normanby, Teesside by a pest controller that had been called to investigate. The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) has been told the dead mammal, a photograph of which has been shared on social media, had been nesting in the home. It has been likened to a 'sewer rat' and, while it is unknown how it accessed the property, rats had been reported in the area in back alleys nearby. In a Facebook post, Eston ward councillors David Taylor and Stephen Martin called on Redcar and Cleveland Council to get a grip of the problem, working with other agencies. They said they wanted to see a 'full vermin survey and treatment plan' implemented in council-owned areas across the borough and joint action also involving businesses, landlords and social housing providers. How to get rid of these common garden pests Cllr Taylor also described public bins in parts of Eston and Whale Hill 'overflowing', with shops, particularly takeaways, dumping items in them and providing 'easy food' for rodents. Overgrown vegetation on public land, providing hiding spaces for rats, was another aspect highlighted. He said the council had to take the problem seriously with sightings increasing. Rats can spread disease to humans and are also known to breed quickly. Cllr Taylor said: 'The longer this is ignored, the worse it will get. It is a growing problem.' He said the rat caught was 'massive', and likened to a small cat or dog, and he had been told by people working in pest control a typical sewer rat could get that big. Native wild animals in the UK As with many other local authorities, Redcar and Cleveland Council no longer offers a pest control solution to private householders, although it retains a full-time officer to tackle issues on council land. Meanwhile, not all social housing providers automatically offer such a service, or if they do it is only on a discretionary basis. Cllr Taylor praised the council's 'workforce on the ground doing an absolutely amazing job', but said more direction was needed from the top of the organisation on the matter. He said he accepted the extensive action being called for would 'cost a fortune', but the problem arising was also a health risk.
The Guardian
15 hours ago
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The Yorkshire mega-rat: a 22-inch rodent and the great global rat crisis of 2025
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