PGM Launches Winter Rat Awareness Campaign – ‘Who Gives a Rat’s Arse?’
PGM & Son Pest Control has launched a new public awareness initiative, ‘Who Gives a Rat’s Arse?’, aimed at reducing rat activity across Herefordshire and Worcestershire this autumn and winter.
The campaign is designed to encourage homeowners, businesses and local communities to take greater responsibility for reducing the conditions that attract rats, with a particular focus on waste management, food storage and early identification of rodent activity.
The initiative comes following PGM’s own pest activity data, which revealed that rodents accounted for 48% of all recorded pest activity in Herefordshire during 2025. The figure highlights the scale of the challenge and the importance of preventative action.
Small Changes Can Make a Big Difference
With colder weather encouraging rats to seek food and shelter closer to homes and commercial premises, PGM is using the campaign to share practical advice and encourage five simple habits:
Shut it:
Keep bin lids closed and avoid leaving rubbish bags exposed.
Pick it up:
Clear fallen fruit, spilled bird seed and food scraps.
Store it:
Keep pet food, animal feed and other food products securely stored.
Clear it:
Remove rubbish and clutter that could provide shelter for rodents.
Report it:
Act quickly when signs of rat activity are spotted.
The campaign emphasises that effective rodent prevention is a shared responsibility. Poorly managed waste areas, food sources and sheltered spaces can create problems that extend beyond individual properties, affecting neighbouring homes and businesses.
Raising Awareness Across the Industry
Running throughout autumn and winter 2026/27, the campaign will see PGM share weekly advice, information and guidance between October and February. Topics will include household and commercial waste, bird feeding, food storage, property proofing, drainage issues and recognising early signs of rat activity.
Importantly, the initiative focuses on prevention rather than blame, highlighting how small, everyday changes can help reduce opportunities for rats to establish themselves.
PGM’s message is simple: “Caring costs nothing. Don’t feed rats.”
The NPTA welcomes initiatives such as this that help raise public awareness of pest prevention and demonstrate the important role that professional pest management businesses play in protecting public health and supporting local communities.
We encourage both members and the wider public to take a look at the campaign and support the wider message of responsible rodent prevention.
