Letter to Editor: More Wildlife, Rats and Rodents Reported in Westfield

To the Editor:

The Westfield Board of Health met on May 2.

In March, there were two reports of animal bites in town, one of which was an unprovoked dog bite of a young bicyclist. The town and the dog’s owner have finalized a consent agreement to limit the dog’s potential to harm others.

If you care for your cat or dog, you should license your pet and protect it by vaccinating it against rabies, which is present in our county. Also, please protect the community through proper leashing and clean-up. You can obtain the license application through the Town Clerk office, which can be reached at 908-789-4030. An owner of an unlicensed or unvaccinated dog or cat will be issued a summons.

Increasing numbers of complaints concern rats and other rodents. Although this is expected during the summer, we can lessen it. Residents are reminded that they must have tightly-covered hard trash cans and scheduled pick-up service. If you feed a pet outdoors, please bring the food indoors at night. Also, please do not feed stray animals, since the food will promote rodent activity. Bird feeder spillage should be minimized and cleaned up daily.

More wildlife has been noticed in town, including deer, wild turkeys and foxes. For the pick-up of stray domestic animals and injured and ill wildlife on public property and streets, please contact the town's program with Animal Control Solutions LLC at 908-310-1452and http://www.animalcontrolsolutions.org/. To collect dead animals, including deer, on streets and public property or for more information, please call the Health Department at 908-789-4070.

The Board is also concerned about summer-related health issues. Some reminders:

1) Please watch children near pools. All children should learn to swim.

2) Be careful about the sun and avoid heat-related illnesses. Apply and reapply sunscreen, stay hydrated and wear a cooling hat. More information and tips are available from the State Department of Health at http://www.state.nj.us/health/eoh/hhazweb/cool.htm#GEN.

3) Foodborne illnesses may increase due to the warm weather, so you should wash your hands with soap and water and clean surfaces often, separate foods and not cross-contaminate them, cook foods to proper temperatures and refrigerate food promptly.

4) Grills, fire pits and outdoor stoves should be used properly to prevent harmful fires and smoke exposure. Have a working fire extinguisher nearby and never leave an open fire unattended. Additional useful information is available from the Environmental Protection Agency at http://www.epa.gov/burnwise/bestburn.html.

5) On your property, please eliminate any stagnant water. Mosquitoes can breed in even a very small amount of water. Water in gutters poses a special problem, so gutters should be cleaned to drain properly.

6) Use appropriate clothing and insect repellents to minimize exposure to mosquitoes and ticks.

7) To prevent poison ivy, you should wear protective clothing as needed.

The health department sponsors health screenings with Overlook Hospital. Bone density, blood pressure and glucose screenings will be on Monday, May 16 and May 23, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Overlook Downtown Center, 357 Springfield Avenue in Summit. For more information and to register, please contact the Overlook Community Health Department at 1-800-247-9580.

Information about all of the health department’s activities, including helpful health-related advice and recommendations, is available on its website http://www.westfieldnj.gov/health. The complete minutes of the May 2 meeting will be posted after review and approval at ourJune 6 meeting, which starts at 5:30 p.m. in the Municipal Building. The public is invited to attend.

Lawrence D. Budnick, MD, MPH

President, Westfield Board of Health