Does dog poop attract rats in Gresham, OR?
Yes. Rats eat dog poop, and a yard where it sits for days gives them a steady meal close to cover. Here's why it draws them in, the signs that they are already visiting, and what keeps them away.
The short answer: yes, rats eat dog poop
Dog poop attracts rats. Rats are scavengers, and dog waste still holds undigested food, so to a rat it is a meal. A yard where piles are left out becomes a food source they return to night after night. Both Norway rats and roof rats live in the Portland area, and both will take an easy meal on the ground.
What draws rats to a yard?
Rats need three things: food, water and shelter. A dog's yard often offers all three.
- Food. Dog poop, spilled kibble, a food bowl left outside overnight, bird seed under a feeder, and fallen fruit.
- Water. The dog's water bowl, a leaky hose bib, or standing water after rain.
- Shelter. Woodpiles, dense shrubs along the fence, the space under a deck or shed, and compost bins.
Take away the food and a yard stops being worth the trip. Dog poop is the food source most owners overlook, because it is out in the grass rather than in a bag or a bin.
How do I know if rats are in my yard?
- Droppings. Rat droppings are small, dark and shaped like a capsule, about half an inch to three quarters of an inch long. They show up along fences, walls and under cover.
- Burrows. Holes about two to four inches wide along foundations, fences or under shrubs, often with loose dirt at the opening.
- Runways. Narrow, worn paths through the grass or along a wall, sometimes with dark rub marks where they squeeze past.
- Gnawing. Chewed garbage lids, hoses or wood.
- Your dog. A dog that suddenly fixates on one corner, under the deck or behind the shed, is often following a scent you cannot see.
Rats and your dog. Rats can carry leptospirosis, a bacterial disease that dogs can catch from rat urine in puddles and wet soil. It is one more reason to keep rats out of the yard, and a good question for your vet, who can tell you whether the leptospirosis vaccine makes sense for your dog.
How to stop rats from coming back
- Pick up the poop at least once a week, and more often if you have already seen signs of rats. This removes the food source that sits in the open.
- Bring the food bowl in at night, and store kibble in a sealed plastic or metal bin, not the paper bag.
- Keep trash lids closed, and never put dog waste in the compost. See what happens to the poop for where it should go.
- Pick up fallen fruit and clean up spilled bird seed.
- Trim shrubs away from the house and fence, and keep woodpiles off the ground.
If you see burrows or rats in daylight, call a pest control company. Rats out during the day usually means there are many of them. In Multnomah County, which includes Gresham, Troutdale, Fairview and Wood Village, the county's vector control program also takes rat reports from residents.
How often should you scoop to keep rats away?
Weekly is the minimum. Rats feed at night, so a pile left for a week has offered seven meals. With two or more dogs, a small yard, or signs of rats already, twice a week is better. Our guide on how often to scoop covers the details, and if keeping that schedule is not realistic, a pooper scooper service keeps it for you.