Nuisance Abatement

Rats need a food supply and some form of shelter. They can adapt to many different foods and nesting sites.

Rats will feed on garbage, pet food or birdseed left out, fruits or berries on the ground, even dog droppings.

Rats will harbor under wood or lumber piles, under rocks, in over-grown brush, abandoned cars or furniture, and in holes in buildings.

• Remove the food sources: Keep all garbage in tight containers, pick up dog droppings, don’t leave pet food outside, compost only plant material and only in rodent-proof compost containers. Use approved bird feeders rather than scattering bread crumbs or bird seed on the ground.
• Remove the nesting sites: Remove brush, debris, and abandoned cars or furniture, seal holes in walls and foundations, and stack lumber or firewood 12 inches above ground.
• Trap or bait to reduce rat population: Use commercial baits or traps only as directed or, hire a professional exterminator. (Some cities also do rat baiting as a city service.)

Because mosquitoes take blood from different hosts, it is possible for them to transmit diseases. That is why our Mosquito Control team routinely captures and tests mosquitoes in the area for infection. Some diseases, such as malaria, encephalitis, yellow fever, and West Nile Virus, can be transmitted from human to human by mosquito bites. Other diseases — most notably HIV — cannot survive inside a mosquito, and cannot be transmitted. When we discover infected mosquitoes, we do everything in our power to contain the threat as quickly as possible. Please contact Public Health with your questions or concerns.