City of Frederick grapples with growing rat problem, seeks outside consultants
BALTIMORE -- Frederick officials are implementing a citywide plan to combat all the rats that are infiltrating the west Maryland city.
Frederick Mayor Michael O'Connor wants residents to know that the city is looking for a short-term abatement strategy that will rid residents of the furry pests.
"A number of factors may contribute to [the] increased presence of rats, including but not limited to weather and climate changes, human activity, and development activity which may displace habitats," O'Conner said in a statement on Wednesday. "My administration is committed to taking immediate steps to address the issue now, and further explore the most effective methods to mitigate increases in rodent activity in the future."
O'Connor said he is willing to explore various avenues and secure the necessary resources to ensure that the city addresses the challenge.
For that reason, the City of Frederick has been consulting with other government agencies and private sector companies, according to the statement.
City officials plan to use a professional exterminator to develop an abatement strategy for the neighborhoods that are seeing the largest number of rats, per the statement.
The exterminator will help the City of Frederick determine the extent of the challenge, possible root causes, and the most humane mitigation options, according to the statement.
"Generally, property maintenance, including the prevention and removal of vermin, is the responsibility of the property owner. And the City encourages all residents to take steps to limit their contributions to a habitat in which rats or other rodents could thrive," O'Connor said. "But we also recognize our duty to ensure the public health of the City at-large."
City officials said code enforcement staff has been proactively patrolling areas affected by the rats. Those staff members will enforce city regulations as necessary to reduce existing or potential rat problems, according to the statement.
Additionally, the mayor's office will work with the Board of Aldermen and the Legal Department to develop appropriate ordinances or regulations for rodent mitigation, city officials said.
"We are not the first city facing this challenge," O'Connor said. "There have been a number of plans executed by other local governments with varying degrees of success. My office will work to identify the most successful initiatives and will incorporate aspects of those into our own ordinance for consideration by the Board of Aldermen. I believe together we can effectively allay this challenge facing our residents."
City of Frederick residents can help eradicate the rats by removing trashcans with holes and other defects, refraining from feeding animals outside, eliminating water sources for the rats, removing animal feces from the area, removing bulk items from the yard, and stacking firewood 18 inches off the ground, according to city officials.
Also, Frederick residents should routinely inspect their property for rat burrows, city officials said.
