How animal shelter with a few too many ‘guests’ had to call in mice exterminators

THEY are better known for saving animals in need of shelter and food.

But one animal rescue charity has been forced to call in exterminators after becoming overrun with mice.

Staff at Arbroath Animal Rescue Centre in Angus said they had no choice but to call in pest control experts after the rodents munched through pet food, blankets – and even two sofas.

Volunteer Yvonne Maddin said the centre’s pest problem escalated at the weekend with the discovery of four mice nests. She added: ‘We began to move stuff in our main storage cupboard and were horrified by what we found. There were nests with about 40 mice in each, adults and babies. They had eaten their way through hundreds of pounds worth of dry dog food.

‘They had also rusted dozens of tins of dog food with their wee.

‘Hundreds of pounds worth of fundraising materials were also destroyed, including around 60 boxes of books that raise about £1,000 a year.’

A pest control expert set baited traps for the adult mice and many fled after being discovered.

Miss Maddin said: ‘It was a serious consideration for us to have to call in pest control but we had to take drastic action immediately to deal with what was an emergency.

‘Once we have dealt with the current situation we plan to look into humane ways of warning off the mice.’

Miss Maddin said the centre was surrounded by woods and fields and that in the cold weather the mice would have been attracted by the warm kennels and tempting smell of dog food.

She added: ‘We’ve lost everything and now have to replace it all. We are totally self-funded, so any monetary donations would be very welcome.’