Hundreds Attend Meeting On West Islip Rat Infestation

WEST ISLIP, NY - Over 100 West Islip residents attended a recent town hall meeting to express concerns over a recent rat infestation that has impacted the area.

Over the past few weeks, many local residents have reported finding rats in their homes.

“We get hundreds of complaints, but it is good to know that rats are common on Long Island,” Suffolk County Department of Health spokeswoman Grace Kelly-McGovern said, according to Newsday. “Sometimes, if a wooded area is cleared, rats are displaced and may look for new places to live.”

One West Islip resident, 65-year-old Diane Sebor, told Newsday that she set up plastic traps in her yard which caught a total of four rats including one that was over a foot long.

After receiving several complaints, local Assemblywoman Christine Pellegrino hosted an open meeting at the West Islip Public Library on Thursday night. A representative from the Department of Health was also present as well as Senator Phil Boyle, Suffolk County Legislator Thomas Barraga, Town of Islip Councilman Steve Flotteron.

"Although West Islip is not the only town being effected, it is inspiring how many members of the community came out to acknowledge something needs to be done," Pellegrino wrote on her Facebook page. "Looking forward to hosting more town halls and working together to find solutions."

Photo: Facebook.com/Assemblywoman Christine Pellegrino