Rats in central Bucharest's Sfânta Vineri square: city hall blames waste and pigeon feeders
Footage of dozens of rats on a pavement near the Sfânta Vineri church drew public outrage. The city hall says the problem stems from waste left by people who feed pigeons, on land administered by the Sector 3 city hall.
What the footage showed
Footage of dozens of rats moving along a pavement in central Bucharest, near the Sfânta Vineri church, spread widely on social media and drew anger and mockery from residents. The city hall says the land where the rats were filmed is administered by the Sector 3 city hall. Mayor Ciprian Ciucu responded on Facebook, arguing that the rats came to the surface after hygiene work in an area where some people throw rubbish and food. He said he had ordered monitoring of the area and repeated interventions.
The rats are the effect of the mess that the City Hall does not clean up.
The city hall's account
The Bucharest City Hall published its own explanation on Facebook on Wednesday, 14 October 2026. It says the Municipal Hygiene Company Eco Igienizare (CMEIB), working with ADP Sector 3, has been active in the area since May. Crews reported finding many burrows in the green space, abandoned waste and food scraps on the pavement, which the city hall links to residents who feed pigeons.
They found numerous burrows dug in the green space, abandoned waste, and food scraps on the pavement, coming from citizens who feed pigeons.
On 29 May, the company applied rodenticides and chemical treatments directly in the burrows, and ADP Sector 3 filled and compacted them. The city hall says this blocked the rodents' exit and kept people and pets away from the toxic substances.
- CMEIB applied rodenticides and chemical treatments in the burrows, and ADP Sector 3 sealed and compacted them
- CMEIB returned and found only 7 of 21 bait stations remaining, the rest vandalised or stolen
- City hall published its account of the measures, with 29 bait stations now placed in the area
Stolen bait stations and repeat treatments
When CMEIB returned on 3 June 2026, it found the land still unsanitary and the bait stations vandalised or stolen. Of 21 stations, only 7 remained, and the city hall attributes the losses to people who feed pigeons. CMEIB then applied two more rodenticide treatments, which were also stolen. The city hall says food scraps, uncollected household waste and bird feed are still left on the concrete area and the green space. It also blames ornamental thuja and juniper plants, which it says offer shelter and help the rodents dig burrows.
- Stations counted earlier
- 21
- Remaining on 3 June 2026
- 7
- In place as of 14 October 2026
- 29
Enforcement and next steps
CMEIB asked Local Police Sector 3 to intervene and sanction people who dump waste on the land, throw food for birds and animals, and repeatedly destroy the bait stations. The city hall says the local police should have been monitoring the perimeter. According to the city hall, 29 bait stations are now placed in the area. It has also asked ADP Sector 3 to trim or clear the ornamental plants and redo the landscaping. The city hall wants the topsoil replaced with coarse sand and surplus gravel, which it says would physically prevent burrowing. It also told Local Police and the Sector 3 sanitation service to monitor the area and keep it clean.
