Natick Rat Attacks Dog; Owner Says Town Has Rodent Problem

NATICK, MA — Susan Lane said there has been a rodent problem in her Natick neighborhood for years and an incident last month certainly backed up her claim. Lane said a large rat ran after her granddaughter and friend as they played in the backyard. Lane's service dog, Stella, jumped in to defend the girls and killed the rat, but not before getting bitten in the nose, cheek and chin.

Lane, a quadruple amputee, said Stella is a big part of her life — but the rat attack left both her family and the dog shaken. She said the attack happened last month when a rat darted through her backyard, toward her son's daughter and her friend who were playing.

"She's completely traumatized, she won't go outside without someone with her," Lane said, adding Stella needs to be retrained. "It throws me off too."

Lane, who has been busy sharing her neighbors' videos of rat sightings on social media, said the town should pay for exterminations and take preventive measures.

"I've spent over $600 in exterminations alone," Lane said, adding that the vet bills for her dog's treatments, including anesthesia and antibiotics, exceeded $2,000.

Natick Director of Public Health James White said the rodent issue is not limited to Natick.

"This is something we've seen all over Eastern Mass right up to Worcester," he said.

Last year, the town received 42 complaints about rodents, White said. So far this year, the department has received 10 complaints.

"We do all that we can to help residents and offer information and preventative measures," White said, adding that the town cannot exterminate on private property.

Lane claimed a big problem is construction. As properties are demolished, rats are displaced, she said.

"They need to exterminate as they go, they need to do it right," Lane said.

White added that it has been a long-standing requirement for contractors to exterminate while they demolish buildings to prevent the spread of rodents. The town's Health Department website has a rodent section dedicated to information on how to handle and prevent rodents.

Lane also wants the town's pay-as-you-throw garbage collection and curbside composting programs to include sealed containers to eliminate food sources for rats.

Lane said she has been in contact with White as well as Board of Health Chairman Ian Wong about the issue and she has been told the Health Department will canvas her neighborhood to see if there is an issue. The town website says property owners are responsible for keeping rodents at bay.

Lane said she wants others to speak up and submit complaints about the rats they see.

"I get so many pictures and videos of rats — people need to send this to the town so they can do something," she said.

The stress of the financial strain and going through her day without her service dog fully functional has been a lot for Lane to handle.

"I just got out of the hospital because of all the stress from this," she said. "I did not live through four amputations to be taken out by rats — something needs to be done."