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‘Disneyfication’ of the countryside blamed for opposition to pest culls

They spread disease, contaminate food and damage property — but millions living in urban areas are opposed to killing rats, a survey has found.

Young people are particularly sentimental about rats: only 58 per cent of those aged 18 to 24 support killing them compared with 91 per cent of over-55s.

Overall, 15 per cent of the urban population and 13 per cent of those who live in rural areas are opposed to killing rats, mice or grey squirrels even when they cause harm and their populations are growing out of control.

The Countryside Alliance, which commissioned the survey of attitudes to killing animals, said that the results demonstrated “the overwhelming Disneyfication of the countryside”.

It believes that the “Bambi effect” may be to blame