An elderly widow is distraught after discovering rats in her kitchen, raising concerns for her late dog’s health
Teesside: An elderly widow, Edna O’Hara, is in shock after finding rats in her kitchen. She first spotted them on her Ring doorbell footage on December 10. Imagine her horror seeing those little critters scurrying across her oven and countertops!
Edna, who’s 80, reached out to Thirteen Housing the same day, but no one came to help. After Teesside Live got involved, the housing association finally apologized and visited her on January 8. But by then, it was too late for her beloved dog, Lilly, who passed away on December 27.
She suspects Lilly might have caught something from the rats, like Weil’s disease. “They carry all types of diseases,” she said, worried about her little dog who was only ten years old. Edna has lived in her home since 1958 and had never seen a rat before this.
Even weeks later, the rats keep showing up almost every night. Edna has been cleaning like crazy, using bleach and setting traps everywhere. Just the other day, she found them in a cupboard, munching on her hot drink packets!
She’s been sweeping and scrubbing non-stop, trying to keep her kitchen clean. “I have footage of the rats jumping on my worktops where I prepare food,” she shared, clearly frustrated.
Edna has sent multiple emails to Thirteen Group about the issue, even sharing the footage. She’s disappointed about a missed visit on January 2, where she waited all day for help that never came.
Sadly, she’s still grieving Lilly, who got sick on Christmas Day. Within two days, she was gone. Edna found her little dog at the back door, and it broke her heart. She believes Lilly came into contact with the rats’ droppings.
To make matters worse, Edna recorded Lilly’s last moments on her kitchen camera. This was just after the three-year anniversary of her husband’s passing, making it even harder for her.
Michelle Younger from Thirteen said they’re sorry for the delay and are working to fix the pest problem. They’ve visited Edna’s home and are taking steps to prevent future issues. They’re also providing her with support during this tough time.
