Responsibility for exterminating rats shifts from Appleton Health Department to homeowners
APPLETON — On the rare occasions that residents encounter an infestation of rats in their home, they now will be on their own to exterminate the pests.
Historically, upon verification of a residential infestation, the Appleton Health Department was tasked with placing bait outside structures to exterminate the rats.
The Common Council last week modified the city's rodent-control ordinance to shift that responsibility to the property owner or manager. The vote was unanimous.
Health Officer Charles Sepers said the change eliminates not only the need for city staff to maintain pest-control certification, but also the need to purchase and store restricted-use pesticides.
"These chemicals are costly and increase the city's liability of injury," Sepers said in a memorandum to the Board of Health. "Eliminating the need for buying and storing these pesticides constitutes an additional opportunity for cost savings to the city."
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The Health Department retains enforcement powers to eliminate rat infestations within the city through the issuance of orders and fees. Violators of the ordinance or orders "shall forfeit not less than $50, plus the cost of the action," the ordinance says.
Each day that a violation occurs or continues constitutes a separate offense.
The Health Department seldom had to exterminate rats in residential properties — Environmental Health Supervisor Steve Kihl recalled only two or three occasions in the past 10 years — so it didn't make sense to maintain that capability, Sepers said.
"By removing the Health Department's direct involvement in baiting and extermination, we aim to allocate our resources more effectively towards oversight, compliance and education on rodent-control practices," Sepers said.
Contact Duke Behnke at 920-993-7176 or dbehnke@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @DukeBehnke.
This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: Appleton homeowners now responsible for rat extermination after vote
