Rat Season In Waltham Brings Health Emergency, Tickets

WALTHAM, MA — Anyone who's lived in Waltham for more than a year knows that come spring and summer, it's rat season. Folks tell Patch they've seen their cats hunting rats, rats have been spotted around trash bins and construction sites. In houses and out. There are stories of trash barrels chewed clear through.

There is no Pied Piper to address the annual uptick that's brought about by construction activity and exposed trash, but officials say there are ways to help a bit.

This year, the Waltham Board of Health even went so far as to declare a public health emergency after receiving increased complaints about rat activity, especially from the Lakeview area of town this season.

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So far this year, the city has had 148 complaints, which is actually a bit behind last year's totals, said Board of Health Director John Zuppe. To put that nearly 150 complaints in perspective: in total last year there were 369 rodent complaints in the city.

And yes, there are areas with more of a concentration of the little furry pests.

"The hot spot right now is in the Lakeview area, centralized around Princeton Ave, Bowdoin Ave and Hillcrest although there are small pockets throughout the city," Zuppe told Patch.

In releases sent out this spring and summer, the city notified residents that if they do not secure their trash properly they will be subject to ticketing and fines. First offenders can expect fines of $25, and the $50 for repeated complaints.

As for the number of citations handed out?

"I don’t have an exact number for you on citations and tickets but we have issued a lot of them," he said.

The city issued a rat advisory reminding residents to properly dispose of trash and garbage in order to reduce the rodent population. The city won't use poison and doesn't recommend using poison because of the impact it can have on other animals, including pets.

Officials recommend lining your trash barrels with plastic bags in addition to making sure it's got a tight-fitting lid to keep the smell to a minimum and make it more difficult place for the furry guys to get to prospective dinner.

Here are some of the tips:

The city suggests residents report rodent sightings online and contact the Department of Health if you see any messy trash areas: http://bit.ly/ReportASighting.

See A Rat In Waltham? Report It Says The City

How Many Rodent Sightings Were Reported in Waltham

Waltham declares public health emergency over rat activity

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Jenna Fisher can be reached at Jenna.Fisher@patch.com or by calling 617-942-0474. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram (@ReporterJenna).

Photo courtesy: Chris Leary