There is a lot of pulling on the leashes when Loppan, Lykka and Japp enter the apartment buildings on Ramels väg in Rosengård.
"It's one of our first outdoor missions and the dogs love it. They would hunt all day if we just let them," says owner Mona Ghalayini.
The three dogs, of the hunting cocker spaniel breed, are specially trained for rat hunting and the scent of pests along Rosengård's facades and flower beds makes them whine with happiness.
With the right to kill
Mona is a dog handler with a license to kill, literally. Her company is the only one in the country that has been certified to kill rats with the help of dogs.
"Compared to other measures, it is a non-toxic, environmentally friendly and far more humane method of controlling rats. They die instantly from the dogs' bites," says Mona.
With the help of rat dogs, Malmö will get rid of the rats. Photo: Hans Larsson/SVT
The task of the day is not to wipe out the entire rodent population of Rosengård. What is happening is an initial survey of the rats' distribution, ahead of a major concerted effort after the turn of the year.
The fact that Rosengård has been chosen does not mean that the rat problem is greater here than in other parts of Malmö, Mona emphasises.
"It's a pilot project. The choice fell on Rosengård because there is a well-established collaboration between the City of Malmö and the property owners here," she says.
Join us on the hunt in the video – and meet Loppan, Lykka and Japp, rat dogs with a license to kill.