Unless you own a pet shop, you most likely don’t want to see a mouse or rat scurrying about your place of business. Entrepreneurs should note, however, that rodents are more than nuisances. They can lead to significant financial and legal consequences for your company. Consider several ways a rodent infestation could negatively impact your enterprise.

Damage to Your Building

Mice and rodents have teeth that never stop growing. To prevent these teeth from becoming too long, rodents must find materials to gnaw on to wear down the teeth. Unfortunately, if one of these critters lives in your building, it may select electrical wires, furniture, and even walls as its chew toy. This may not only lead to unsightly damage to your property, but it could also cause fires and any number of problems with your electrical system.

Loss of Customers’ Trust

Your company’s reputation could be put in grave danger if customers see rodents or other evidence of an infestation on your property. This situation can be especially injurious to businesses involved in food preparation or service, as no one wants to eat food from a rat-infested kitchen. In the age of social media, this sort of blemish to your reputation could grow ever larger as more and more people hear news of the infestation online.

Food Contamination

If food is stored on your premises, whether it is intended for customers or employees, a rodent infestation could lead to the spread of disease and potentially the loss of valuable inventory. Rodents are known for eating practically anything and they are exceptionally good at finding food sources.

Because rodents also tend to be rather messy animals, it is likely that they will contaminate food supplies with urine and droppings. If people consume these contaminated products, they may contract one of several diseases, including leptospirosis, tularemia, hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, salmonellosis, and lymphocytic choriomeningitis. Importantly, if inspectors find evidence of rodents in a food-related business, the company could be shut down until the problem is resolved.

Additional Health Risks

The presence of mice and rats at your place of business could lead to the spread of disease by other means, as well. Rats, for example, have been known to bite people on rare occasions. The bites themselves have the potential to do a lot of physical damage, but they can also be the source of rat-bite fever and several other diseases. Even being scratched by a rat puts a person at risk for rat-bite fever.

Additionally, people can become ill simply by inhaling air and dust that is contaminated with rodent urine or droppings. This can make it difficult to safely clean up after these critters.

Stop Infestations in Their Tracks

Once an infestation gets started, it is unlikely to go away on its own. In fact, the issue may grow much worse, as rats can multiply quickly. This is why it’s so critical that business owners and managers put preventative measures in place and act promptly when evidence of an infestation is discovered. 

There are a handful of things you can do to make your premises uninviting to rodents. Namely, you should make sure your building is tightly sealed, including gaps around windows and doors. You can also deter mice and rats by removing their food and water supplies. Address dripping and leaking faucets right away and be sure floors and countertops are cleaned regularly.

Once an infestation is underway, however, it is time to call in professional help. Our team at your local Truly Nolen specializes in various kinds of commercial pest control in Vaughan. We approach rodent infestations holistically by removing existing rodents and preventing future ones from entering your building. We even address the vectors that may live alongside rodents, including fleas and ticks. Give us a call today to learn more.