To the appropriate town authority this needs attention

I’ve seen some very bold rats in the Village the past few weeks. One crossing Vose and South Orange Ave and the other just hanging out like it’s normal in the parking lot between Stoney’s and the bank atm.

I received a response from Sheena. She got in touch with John Festa, the Health Officer, who said he has been working with property owners downtown who brought in pest control and will follow up today.

Our Health Officer and Pest Control were out this morning at 5:30am following up on the concerns posted here. Burrows were identified and dusted and efforts will continue into next week. Our Health Officer has also identified some solutions that will assist businesses/restaurants in the vincinity and will be working with them to mitigate some of the exposure.

Thanks cramer for shooting me an email.

If anyone has any specific issues they need addressed, you can go to our website and call the appropriate department, use our online/mobile app service portal SOConnect, and of course feel free to shoot me an email at scollum@southorange.org.

Bumping - the Health Officer and Pest Control continue to address this situation with dusting. I'm receiving reports weekly. Also, the issue with the wooden dumpster is also being addressed with property owners.

A couple of years ago, I saw rats swimming in the brook one warm summer day. For a second, they were kind of cute... then I remembered they were rats. But, I do agree with author that any place with a stream will have rats. South Orange has always had rats (the rodent kind) because of the brook.

I have seen MANY by Chris's diner on the corner of SO Ave and Vose. I looks like the trash that was in the alleyway has been cleaned but those jokers are still there bobbing and weaving. One got hit a few weeks ago on Vose...the body imprint still can be seen in the road..acckkkkkkk...they are so scary and so disgusting. Even if they can't all be driven away they shouldn't be swarming and just hanging out. Makes me avoid all restaurants in the downtown area.

My father tells a story about when he was a cop in the Bronx and chasing a dealer with another cop, and headed toward a small vacant lot cutting through to an escape (but, unknown to him, fenced). They got to the lot and my dad stopped, and held the other guy back. Told him they’d wait but they weren’t going in. Before any objection, some thrashing and yelling, guy comes screaming out ten seconds later, rats still hanging off him. Lot was filled with burrows and the vacant buildings on each side absolutely infested. Said he’d never seen anyone so happy to be arrested.

In most cases any and all rat stories are true. The one that stands out is of rats biting the faces of sleeping babies. What actually happens is that the baby takes some milk and goes to sleep. The rat starts licking the milk drops from the face of the baby. The baby flinches and the rat immediately attacks and bites.

Fortunately in the suburbs this happens rarely. But a constant program of monitoring and treating where needed is very much in order............waiting till they are spotted is never a good idea