Two cats killed for every flea found at city hospital

Date Published: 14-Mar-2013

BY DARA BRADLEY

A dozen cats were captured on the grounds of University Hospital Galway (UHG) and killed late last year, supposedly in an attempt to rid the hospital of a flea problem – yet evidence of just six fleas were found, documents reveal.

Effectively two cats were killed for every one flea found at UHG between October and December of 2012, according to analysis of Rentokil inspection reports of the hospital released to the Galway City Tribune under the Freedom of Information Act (FOI).

The link between the two being present at UHG is dubious, however.

Analysis of the pest activity reports and pest control company visits, casts doubt on the Health Service Executives’ (HSE) reasons for ordering at cat cull at the hospital.

The first sighting or mention of fleas at the hospital in the Rentokil reports was nearly six weeks after the first cat was killed.

The 2012 pest activity reports for UHG makes absolutely no mention of fleas having been detected at the hospital.

Rentokil’s ‘pest control company visits’, which were also released to the Galway City Tribune, does record evidence of some fleas – six in total were found. It is not specified what type of fleas they were.

The cat cull, as it has become known, commenced on October 10. Three cats were captured that day. The first mention of fleas wasn’t until November 21, when Rentokil said “a callout was carried out in response to a report of flea activity”.

By the time of the first recorded sighting of that flea, seven cats had been captured and put down, including three on October 10, one each on October 11, 12, 16 and 26.

The Rentokil evidence suggests that the HSE had ordered the removal of feral cats from UHG grounds, long before there was any issue with fleas.

The cost of hiring pest control company, Rentokil, for UHG and Merlin Park increased by 38% last year, to €27,553.

For more on this story, see the Galway City Tribune.