I Hate Rats

I put the trash out last night and a rat jumped out of one of the bags as I was carrying it. Shortly after I set the bag on the curb another rat scuttled away.

Damn, I hate rats.

I got in touch with Claudia Riegel of the New Orleans Mosquito & Termite Control Board a couple days ago. I let her know about the grocery at the corner of N Lopez and Bienville. It seems to be untouched since the flood. I have seen rats coming from the store and going under the house next door, which is occupied.

I also let Claudia know about our the fact that some of our neighbors are piling household garbage on the street without bagging it. The piles grow higher, and of course they are not picked up because the refuse is not bagged. One pile at N. Salcedo and Iberville is quite large and has been growing for a couple months. We’ve tried to communicate the importance of bagging trash to our neighbors, but the language barrier makes it difficult. We even gave them some flyers in Spanish, but the problem continues.

Our house is between these two sites.

Claudia said rodent control would inspect the area, and if they find rodent activity, “they will bait burrows and they will bait storm drains in the area.” She’s also letting the health department know about the situation at the store.

At least the dead rat carcass on the bike path at the Jeff Davis and Tulane is decomposing rapidly.

Actually I don’t really hate rats, as long as they stay far away from me.