‘You can hear them in the walls’: Leaside resident blames neighbor feeding wildlife for rat infestation

Residents of a street in Toronto’s Leaside neighborhood say they are fighting an infestation of rats brought in by a neighbor who refuses to stop feeding the wildlife in his backyard.

Jennifer King, who lives near the homeowner being blamed for feeding the rats, said the problem got so bad earlier this year that she had to hire an exterminator, at a cost of $3,000, because rats invaded the walls and attic of her home.

“It’s disgusting,” she said. “You can hear them in the walls.”

County. Rachel Chernos Lynn, who represents homeowners on Randolph Road, said a woman across the street was accused of illegally feeding wildlife several months ago. He is also facing a property standards investigation because of the accumulation of rubbish in his courtyard.

Until recently, it was legal to feed animals on private property. But in 2023, the city’s animal bylaw was amended to make it illegal to feed backyard wildlife, except songbirds.

Since then, the city says it has received thousands of complaints from homeowners saying their neighbors are violating the bylaw – 3,787 in 2023 and 3,897 in 2024.

City staff told CBC Toronto in an email that there are good reasons why feeding wildlife in private yards is a bad idea.

“When food is accidentally or intentionally left out for wildlife, it often attracts unintended animals such as rodents, which can lead to public health and safety concerns,” the email reads. “Once rats or other pests become established, they can be difficult to control.”

King says she knows that problem well.

She said she has lived on Randolph Road for 25 years, but never had a problem with rodents until earlier this year.

‘Hundreds in the backyard’

In January, he started seeing rat footprints and mouse tracks in the snow. By spring, she said, rats — some as large as possums — were roaming freely in her backyard, even in broad daylight. They had gnawed the posts on his deck, and dug holes under the backyard fence.

“At night in the bedroom I could hear them scratching at the ceiling,” King said.

In March, she asked her neighbor to stop putting food out because it was attracting rats that were spreading throughout the neighborhood. But the feeding continued, she said.

CBC Toronto contacted the woman accused of feeding wildlife. She denied that she was doing this.

King said that after hiring an exterminator, the rats were eliminated from the house, but not from the outside. “(There are) hundreds in the backyard,” she said.

Her friend Janet Bolton, who lives next door, said that one day a few months ago, she was sitting in King’s kitchen drinking coffee and looking out the window when she “saw 30 rats in about 15 minutes.”

He said the problem is limited to a block or two of Randolph south of Eglinton Avenue and west of Laird Drive.

Still, Bolton is worried about the impact on his friend’s health. “She’s lost weight; I’m worried about her emotionally.”

The king is not alone.

A dozen Randolph Road residents signed a letter, written by another neighbor several months earlier, asking the woman to stop feeding the wildlife.

“When wild animals begin to associate homes with food, it can lead to increased aggression, property damage and even health risks,” the letter said. “I would like to humbly request you to reconsider this practice…hopefully we can all enjoy our wildlife from a safe and respectful distance.”

According to King, that letter had no effect.

Chernos Lynn said if the city finds the woman in violation of property standards, she could be ordered to remove debris from her yard. Violations of the bylaw prohibiting feeding wildlife can result in fines of up to $100,000, according to the city’s website.

The city is investigating the property standards complaint. He said the bylaw charges are due to go to court in November.

Councilor says, keep reporting on 311

King says it’s possible that rats became disturbed in a nearby vacant lot on Laird Avenue when construction began on the site in late 2024, and were attracted to her street by food left in her neighbor’s backyard.

Whatever the reason for the sudden increase in rat population, King says she’s fed up.

At one point, she said she was “seriously thinking about moving on.”

With the cooler weather, wandering rats tend to stay in their outdoor dens, but King worries what will happen next spring when temperatures start to rise.

Chernos Lynn, meanwhile, said it is important that neighbors communicate with each other to ensure small disputes do not become bigger problems.

“If there are challenges in your neighborhood, keep reporting incidents,” he said. “Make sure you report it to 311, make sure the city knows, so the city can take action, because that’s why we’re here.”

If common ground can’t be found, she encourages homeowners to contact their city councilor. In some cases, he said, the city will bring in a mediator to help resolve neighborhood disputes.