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Kill That Rat!

1941 , United Kingdom (Other)

Cat no. 1377

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A World War II government information film describing the damage to crops and livestock done by rats and advocating their extermination.

Shots of the harvest. The commentary emphasises that producing more food is saving shipping space and helping the war effort. There is a shot of a rat in a barn. The commentary and pictures illustrate how rats encouraged by rubbish heaps, broken doors and windows, faulty drains and by free food left lying around. The commentary offers the fact that rats cost the country £25m per year in lost food. A series of shots shows the damage done by rats to straw ricks, to animal feed and to poultry. They also cause indirect damage here, by stealing eggs and food as well as poaching chicks. A rat is filmed poaching a chick.The film shows how to protect against rats. Ricks must be fenced and kept off the ground. Poultry houses and buildings should be kept in good repair and made of materials that deter rats. They should also be kept off the ground. Feed should be stored in bins. Grills should be fitted over drains.The film shows methods of destroying rats. They can be poisoned. The farmer is shown laying the poison. They can be gasses with cyanide gas. The farmer is shown administering this by pump and by spoon. Threshing can be a rat hunt. A Ministry of Agriculture order has decreed that fences should be used as threshing to catch rats. A good dog is encouraged. We see a dog catching a rat. Ferrets are useful for flushing out rats for dogs.The commentary ends with the cry, Rat Do Hitler's Work.. Kill Them Now.

Keywords

Farming; Pest Control; Rats; War effort

Intertitles

Apply to your county War Agricultural Executive Committee for a copy of this leaflet.

Manifestations

Kill That Rat!

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