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Rat Prevention: Training (Rat Academy)

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Rat Academy Trainings

To register for a training, click on the date.

If you are interested in working with the Health Department to sponsor a virtual or in-person training, contact the Health Department and select Pest Control as a Health Topic..

Virtual

In-Person

Virtual Rat Academy for Community Gardeners

There are no scheduled trainings at this time.

In-Person Rat Academy for Community Gardeners

There are no scheduled trainings at this time.


The academy offers two different types of trainings on rat management:

  1. Community Training: This free two-hour course is open to anyone who wants to learn about rat management.

  2. Pest Control Professionals: This three-day advanced course for pest control professionals focuses on the biology and behaviors of rats.

Community Training Course

You can learn about safe and effective methods for rat prevention in your home and community at one of our scheduled free trainings. This free two-hour training is available to everyone, but it may be especially helpful for:

  • Superintendents and building staff
  • Property managers and owners
  • Neighborhood associations
  • Community gardeners
  • Local businesses

Each training can be tailored to the audience and neighborhood. Typically, this training course is hosted and sponsored by a community partner or elected official.

To sign up for a community-based training, or for more information on how to host or sponsor a training, email ratportal@health.nyc.gov or call 311.

Intensive Training Course for Pest Control Professionals

Upcoming Courses

This three-day course is offered twice a year — once in spring and once in autumn. Each day, class is held from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Courses are usually held in downtown Manhattan. Specific information will be announced as the course's start date approaches.


This course teaches pest control professionals about:

  • Biology, behavior and habitats of rats
  • Contributing factors to infestation
  • Site-specific responses and strategies
  • Effective communication strategies with the public

The three-day course will conclude with a field day and workshop, with participants sent to specific sites to conduct an inspection/evaluation survey.

Courses are limited to about 35 students per session. No more than two employees per company may attend a single session. We recommend company supervisors, managers and owners attend the course and then pass along the information to their employees. It is not designed for new hire training.

To receive a certificate of completion, participants must attend all three days of the course, complete all the assigned work and pass a final exam. Course graduates may also receive 18 to 21 continuing education credits from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.

Enroll in Pest Control Professionals Course

If you are interested in the course for pest management professionals, complete and submit the online registration form below. If a course is already full when you submit your form, you will be put on a waitlist for a future course. Participants will receive a notification letter two months before the course begins.

If you cancel your registration, you may be added to next session, but you are not automatically guaranteed a spot.

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