Battling Rats

by Cindy Goldstein -

Village Manager Kathleen Gill updated residents on the Village’s efforts to address rat infestations.  Gill referred to a summary (see HERE) provided by R. Dana Pest Control, a professional pest control company hired to work on the rat problem.  The memo details efforts in Washingtonville and along Mamaroneck Avenue to methodically inspect each property and identify rat routes and habitats.  In some areas, staff installed rodent stations with rat bait.  The report states that the rat bait used contains no rodenticide.

In high rat-activity zones, staff addressed loose garbage and other rat-conducive conditions.  An ongoing crackdown on violators who leave accessible garbage on the streets will directly affect the rat population.  Staff also examined tree bases for rat burrows and treated them with CO2, which causes death.

Containing garbage is key to controlling the rat population that plagues certain neighborhoods and business districts.  Simply put, if garbage is contained properly, rats go elsewhere to find an easy meal.