Rat Control.

(1) 

Definitions.

(a) 

Owner or Manager. Within the meaning of this section, the owner is the title holder of record. The manager is the one in actual possession, charge or control of any property within the City as tenant, agent, trustee, guardian, executor or administrator. Notice to a manager shall be good and sufficient notice both as to the manager and the owner.

(b) 

Rat Proof Container. A rat-proof container shall be a container constructed of concrete or metal, or the container shall be lined with metal or other material that is impervious to rats, and openings into the container, such as doors, shall be tight fitting to prevent the entrance of rats.

(c) 

Rat-Proofing. Rat-proofing shall consist of closing openings in building foundations and openings under and around doors, windows, vents and other places, which could provide means of entry for rats, with concrete, sheet iron, hardware cloth or other types of rat-proofing material approved by the Commissioner of Health.

(d) 

Rat Harborage. Rat harborage shall mean any place where rats can live and nest without fear of frequent molestation or disturbance.

(e) 

Hardware Cloth. Hardware cloth shall mean wire screening of such thickness and spacing as to afford reasonable protection against the entrance of rats and mice.

(2) 

Elimination of Rat Harborages. Whenever accumulations of rubbish, boxes, lumber, scrap metal, car bodies or any other materials provide rat harborage, the person, firm or corporation owning or in control of such materials shall cause the materials to be removed or the materials shall be stored so as to eliminate the rat harborage. Lumber boxes and similar materials shall be neatly piled. These piles shall be raised at least a foot above the ground. When the owner of the materials cannot be found after reasonable search, the owner or manager of the premises on which the materials are stored shall be responsible for disposal or proper piling of the materials.

(3) 

Elimination of Rat Feeding Places. No person, firm or corporation shall place or allow to accumulate any materials that may serve as food for rats in a site accessible to rats. Any waste materials that may serve as food for rats shall be stored in rat-resistant containers. It shall be the responsibility of the occupant or the owner of record to see that the premises are kept free of material which could provide food for rats.

[Ord. O-2014-0021, 4/1/2014]

(4) 

Extermination. Whenever rat holes, burrows or other evidences of rat infestation are found on any premises or in any building within the City, it shall be the duty of the owner or manager of such property to exterminate the rats or to cause the rats to be exterminated. Within ten (10) days after extermination, the owner or manager shall cause all of the rat holes or burrows in the ground to be filled with earth, ashes or other suitable material.

(5) 

Rat Proofing. It shall be the duty of the owner or manager of any building in the City to make such building reasonably rat-proof, to replace broken basement windows and, when necessary, to cover the basement window openings with hardware cloth or other suitable material for preventing rats from entering the building through the window openings.

The owner or manager of any premises upon which sheds, barns, coops or similar buildings are located shall eliminate the rat harborages from within and under such buildings by rat-proofing, raising the buildings above the ground or by some other suitable method.