How was vermin controlled on ships

[Jane Gee]

Hi Hope someone can answer this query several dog skulls have been found whilst mud larking on the foreshore of the river Thames possible terrier type and it was wondered if these were dogs used on ships for catching vermin. Cats are usually good at catching mice but mine never caught rats. During my research into the Georgian royal navy I have never seen mention of this type of pest control using animals of this type. Does anyone have any idea if they were on board. Not ever seen a mention in a ships log. Sadly not near the river Thames as would be mud larking too

[Guy Etchells]

The main control was a cone mounted on all the lines that tether the ship to the dock, doubt if ships would carry dogs for vermin control as the would add to the mess on a ship.
There is an interesting booklet here
https://tinyurl.com/2p9ey2f5
Cheers
Guy

[Jane Gee]

Hallo Guy
thank you for the information I have just been reading on another site a quote from Professor NAM Rodgers saying that many ships had animals on (which I get) and dogs were depicted in a picture/cartoon of the late 1700s so I would say yes they were on and the mess would have been thrown over board daily. However the US Navy article appears to be 20th century. The more modern Royal Navy did have mascots.

[barbara lee]

The Aubrey-Maturin novels by Patrick O'Brian ("Master and Commander" and so on) suggest the midshipmen, often quite small boys, would catch and eat rats, especially when supplies were low. Although this is fiction, the author was commended for his immersion in the diaries and memoirs of the time.

[helachau]

Government Gazette (India) 23 Mar 1815
" ..., the waste in provisions and other destructive effects occasioned by Rats on board Ship are of inconceivable magnitude, and for which no remedy has heretofore occurred; ..."