'What a big animal,' pest control expert says of rodent spotted in downtown Dartmouth

Rat video sparks online buzz A video of what appears to be a giant rat in HRM is causing a social media frenzy. Paul Hollingsworth reports.

DARTMOUTH, N.S. — An oversized rodent captured on video in downtown Dartmouth is causing plenty of social media buzz and it's sparking a debate about whether the Halifax area has a growing problem with rats.

"In my mind, I said 'what a big animal,'" said Andrew Wheelock, who owns a pest control company.

When Wheelock looked at the rodent's tail he thought perhaps it was a muskrat, but he's not sure.

"It was a little bit grainy on my phone, so I couldn't tell," Wheelock said.

Regardless of the species, one question lingers: what was it doing roaming around downtown Dartmouth?

Tim Rissesco, the executive director of the Downtown Dartmouth Business Commission, has been asking around looking for theories.

"Often times when you get construction in an urban area, they disturb the rodent population and they spill out," Rissesco said.

That's plausible says Wheelock, but there's also climate to consider.

We've had an easy winter, Wheelock said, and that leads to more rat breeding.

"Populations are up, and in the data from our office we are busier than we have ever been," he said.

The Halifax Regional Municipality says it has not seen a spike in rat spottings in 2021.

"So far this year, the municipality has not received an increase in rat complaints," a city spokesperson said. The city would only have a record of complaints made about municipal parks and buildings -- not general complaints about rats from around the municipality.

For disposing of rats, Wheelock says many home and business owners prefer humane methods of keeping them out, however there are other more aggressive solutions such as trapping, or using a rodenticide or bait.

Residents can call 311 to report a live or deceased rat in a municipal park, or a deceased rat in the right-of-way.