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Contact Us |
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Village
Hall
708.452.7300 |
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Police
Department
708.453.2137 |
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Police
Emergency
911 |
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Fire
Department
708.453.2124 |
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Fire
Emergency
911
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Health
Department
708.452.3907
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The Village of Elmwood Park uses Anderson Pest Control to inspect
areas for rodent activity. Anderson has proposed a new program
to assist the residents of Elmwood Park who are unable to abate
their property. For more information, please contact the Health
Department at 708-452-3907.
Rodent Control
The rats and mice in our
homes, businesses and cities are a real problem because they:
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Consume and contaminate food with their fur, urine and feces.
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Start
fires by gnawing on electric wires. |
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Are a
vector for diseases such as: leptospirosis, hantavirus, pulmonary
syndrome, rat bite fever and plague. |
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Can
cause asthma and allergies. |
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Damage furniture, clothing and other valuable possessions.
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 Rodent control has three
main aspects: sanitation, rodent proofing, and rodent
trapping/baiting. Sanitation and proofing although costly, time
consuming, and slow to show results, are the most important parts of
rodent control. Conditions that foster the rodent problem must be
eliminated.
Sanitation:
The presence of garbage and other refuse allows rats to exist in
residential areas. Good sanitation will not eliminate rats under all
conditions, but will make the environment less suitable for them to
thrive. This involves proper storage and handling of food materials
and refuse, and elimination of rodent shelter.
While rodents find warmth
and shelter inside structures, food is their first reason for
living in and around structures. Eliminate possible rodent food
sources:
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Keep
food in rodent-proof containers with tight-fitting lids.
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Clean
up spilled food right away and wash dishes and cooking utensils soon
after use. |
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Feed
pets only as much as they can eat in a few minutes. Do not leave pet
food or water bowls out overnight. |
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Rats
can even live off pet feces, so pick up droppings daily.
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Don’t
scatter food for birds or squirrels. Place bird food in a feeder,
not on the ground. |
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Clean
up nuts and fruit from trees. |
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Vegetable gardens also can be a food source. Never let overripe
vegetables remain in place. |
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Garbage should be placed in a thick plastic or metal garbage can
with a tight lid. If storing trash and food waste inside the home,
do so in rodent-proof containers, and frequently clean the
containers with soap and water. |
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Keep
compost bins 100 feet or more from the house. |
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Eliminate water: keep all drains covered and secure. Get rid of any
standing water in the yard. Fix any defective pipes or drains.
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And
keep lids on toilets – rodents have been known to drink water, and
even urine, from toilets, and can enter structures by swimming pipes
and emerging from toilets! |
Mice hoard food in
inaccessible areas, so removal of known supplies may not reduce mouse
infestations immediately.
Rodent
Proofing:
Seal any openings larger than 1/4 inch to exclude both rats and mice.
Openings where utilities enter buildings should be sealed tightly with
metal or concrete. Wood, plaster and caulk will not keep rats out.
Equip floor drains and sewer pipes with tight-fitting grates that have
openings less than 1/4 inch in diameter. Doors, windows and screens
should fit tightly. It may be necessary to cover edges with sheet
metal to prevent gnawing. Ideally, all places where food is stored,
processed or used should be rodent-proof.
Rodent Control Resources
How to construct a Bait Box for poisoning
rats 
Municipal Rodent Management - IDPH
Please contact Janet Slusarz at
708-452-3907 for further information.
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11 Conti Parkway * Elmwood Park, Illinois 60707
Telephone 708.452.7300 * Fax 708.452.3957
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Copyright © 1998 - 2011 Village of Elmwood Park
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