Walk the site
We look at the burrows, runs, feed stores and buildings, agree where the dogs can work and check that poultry, livestock and pets are shut away.
Ratting with Terriers for Rat Control
Practical pest control support for homes and businesses.
Ratting With Terriers Rat Control
Traditional ratting with working terriers for farms, yards, stables and rural sites across Wakefield and West Yorkshire, with proofing advice afterwards.
We use working terriers for rat control on farms, stables, yards and rural properties across Wakefield and West Yorkshire where bait and traps alone are not shifting the rats.
About Ratting With Terriers Rat Control
Why terriers are still used for rat control
Ratting with terriers is the old way of dealing with rats around farms and yards, and it still earns its place. Where rats live in burrows under feed stores, muck heaps and stables, bait is slow and traps catch one at a time.
At VermiCure we run terrier ratting alongside conventional rat control. We walk the site, work the dogs through the harbourage, then place bait or traps where rats may remain and advise on feed storage and housekeeping. It suits farms, smallholdings, stables, poultry keepers and allotments, and the terrier work itself is chemical-free.
Rats underground are hard to reach
Established rats live in burrows with several entrances under slabs, feed stores and banks. Some never visit a bait station; the dogs go to the burrow.
Bait on a farm has limits
Rodenticide around livestock, poultry and wildlife must be used sparingly and is often ignored when feed is everywhere. Terriers need no poison.
Terriers are bred for it
Working terriers find rats by scent, mark the burrow and catch them as they bolt: instinct refined by training, dogs and handler working together.
It is lawful with permission
Hunting rats with dogs is exempt under the Hunting Act 2004 on land the occupier has given permission to use. We confirm that before we start.
It does not finish the job alone
Dogs cut the population hard in a day and you see the count. Survivors still need bait or traps, and the harbourage removing.
Signs a site is ready for terrier work
Burrows everywhere
Fist-sized holes along walls, under feed bins and in hedge banks, with worn runs between them.
Rats seen in daylight
Rats crossing the yard or feeding under poultry feeders in daylight point to a large population.
Bait not being taken
Stations untouched while the signs get worse, or bait taken with no fall in activity.
Damage you cannot reach
Chewed feed sacks, cables and insulation in barns, stables and voids where traps cannot go.
Harbourage all round
Stacked pallets, timber, long grass and feed spillage giving cover and food near the burrows.
How a terrier ratting visit works
Work the dogs
The terriers find the active burrows and we open them up or move the pallets the rats are under. Rats that bolt are taken by the dogs; the rest are dug out.
Clear and treat
Rats are counted, bagged and taken away. Where some may remain we place bait in tamper-resistant stations or set traps, away from poultry, livestock and pets.
Proofing and return
We show you the harbourage to clear, the feed to store differently and the gaps to close, and agree whether a second day with the dogs is needed.
Before we arrive
- Shut poultry away and keep livestock, horses and your own dogs and cats out of the working area.
- Do not put rodenticide down beforehand; a poisoned rat is a danger to the terriers.
- Clear loose pallets and scrap from around the burrows, and tell us about septic tanks or buried services.
- Confirm that you own the land or have the occupier's permission for us to work there with dogs.
After the terriers have been
- Store feed in metal bins with lids and clear spillage daily; spilt feed keeps a farm population going.
- Lift pallets, timber and machinery off the ground so there is no cover to burrow under.
- Keep muck heaps away from feed rooms and fit mesh to the base of stable and shed doors.
- Walk the site monthly for fresh burrows and runs, and call while the numbers are small.
What affects the price
- The size of the site and the number of burrow systems and buildings to work.
- Whether one visit with the dogs will do or the site needs a return day.
- How much digging and clearing is needed to reach the burrows.
- Any bait, traps or proofing you want us to put in place afterwards.
Common questions about ratting with terriers rat control
When is ratting with terriers suitable?
It can be suitable for some outdoor and rural settings where access, safety, land permission, and the type of rat activity make it appropriate.
Can terrier work be combined with proofing advice?
Yes. Long-term control still benefits from understanding harbourage, food sources, entry routes, and ongoing prevention steps.
Is ratting with terriers legal in the UK?
Yes. Hunting rats with dogs is exempt under the Hunting Act 2004 on land you own or where the occupier has given permission. We confirm that before we start.
Are the terriers a risk to my own animals?
They are working dogs under control and kept to the areas we agree. Even so, shut poultry away and keep your own dogs, cats and livestock clear while we work.
Why use ratting dogs rather than poison?
Terrier rat control takes rats out of a burrow system in a day without putting rodenticide where livestock, poultry and wildlife can reach it, and it works where rats ignore bait.
Does farm rat control need more than one visit?
Often. A heavy infestation around a farm or stable yard usually needs the dogs, then a bait or trap check and housekeeping that removes feed and cover.
Need help with ratting with terriers rat control?
Tell VermiCure what you have noticed and ask about the next step.
