Food leftovers meant for stray dogs have caused a rat infestation near a factory at Tuas South 1 Street, resulting in 25 rat holes.
Factory workers have placed rat traps that catch rats daily. The rats are so numerous that workers can’t handle them promptly and often wait until the rats die before disposal.
Liang Wenle, a 73-year-old machinery factory worker, told Lianhe Zaobao that his workplace has been plagued by rats for over six months. Traps set by employees catch rats almost every day.
“Rats are everywhere inside and outside the factory, and rat holes can be seen all around. We block a hole with a large stone one moment, and the next moment a new hole appears nearby,” Liang said.
The factory has caught so many rats that workers cannot deal with them promptly. Sometimes they wait until the rats die in the cages before wrapping them in plastic garbage bags for trash collection.
The company is also considering hiring pest control services to clean up rat droppings and insects attracted by the smell.
Liang explained that the factory never had rat problems until about six months ago when someone began feeding stray dogs outside, leaving food on the ground.
“I suspect rats are coming for the dog food. With a constant food source here, rats naturally continue to breed in this area.”
According to Liang, the National Environment Agency (NEA) first inspected the factory on 17 February 2025 and recommended larger garbage bin lids.
The NEA responded to Lianhe Zaobao inquiries on Thursday (13 March 2025), stating that after a joint inspection with the National Parks Board (NParks), they confirmed leftover food meant for stray dogs had become a food source for rats.
During the inspection, the NEA found 25 rat holes in the surrounding area.
The NEA also reported taking enforcement action against a member of the public who regularly fed dogs at the location. Specific details of the action were not disclosed.
For premises around Tuas South Street 1 with poor hygiene conditions and signs of rat activity, the NEA said it would take enforcement action against relevant property owners and had already instructed them to improve control measures immediately.
“Follow-up inspections show the situation has improved, with rat holes reduced to three,” the agency stated.
Authorities noted that while feeders had good intentions in feeding stray dogs, such actions must be done responsibly, making sure all food debris is removed to avoid attracting pests like rats.
Failure to clean up remaining food or food containers after feeding community animals will be considered littering, which violates the Environmental Public Health Act.
The NEA, working with multiple agencies including the Animal and Veterinary Service under NParks, reminds community animal caregivers to regularly clean up leftover food, water, and containers.
On 14 February 2025, the NEA announced that from 1 April 2025, authorities will strengthen rat prevention measures by holding property managers and owners accountable. Property managers must proactively implement effective rat control measures, including improving cleanliness to eliminate rat activity.
In 2024, the NEA and Singapore Food Agency intensified rat control efforts, conducting over 1,000 enforcement actions targeting rat infestations, a significant increase from 670 actions the previous year.
