I don’t mind rats per se but i don’t want them leaving their droppings and widdle all round my garden and outbuildings. The do carry Weil’s disease which kills people and animals. A family of rats took up residence in my garage a few years ago and I evicted them and cleared out the nests (no babies). An unpleasant smell remained and when I pulled the chest freezer out i found the final nest with half of a dead snake and the head of a lobster carefully stashed. Like foxes, i feel live and let live provided they stay away from me.