The man had to receive immediate medical attention.
Residents in Cork have been warned “to keep their toilet seats down and to watch their posteriors” after an elderly man was hospitalised when a rat bit him on the bum while he was sitting on the toilet.
Recent flooding in Cork has caused rat infestation in parts of the city and the incident involving the elderly man was reported by Councillor Noel Collins to Cork City Council at a Southern Area meeting on Monday.
According to the Evening Echo, Collins asked the council to investigate the possibility of flushing rat poison through the sewer system in an effort to contain rat infestation in the city.
“The flooding resulted in another problem for residents, that of rat infestation, which really upset many families, mentally and physically, and indeed, one elderly gentleman suffered a rat bite to his posterior while using his toilet, and had to receive immediate medical attention,” Collins told the meeting.
In this particular case, a plumber found a broken sewer pipe, which is believed to have allowed the rat to enter the system.
In response to Collins’ inquiry about flushing rat poison through the sewer system, the council said that doing so could lead to contamination of other water sources and added that Irish Water are responsible for vermin control within the system.
In the event that a repeat incident could occur in Cork, Councillor Collins warned: “I would advise homeowners to keep their toilet seats down when not in use, and to watch their posteriors.”
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