pigeon and rat problem

[whowehavetofear.livejournal.com]

Question: Is there any way I can speak to a live city of Somerville employee about rat control? The story is that on the side street where we park, people throw tons of bread, bird seed, and other random food items [once someone left an entire plate of spaghetti] out several times a week in order to feed a flock of pigeons. As it is, it's pretty disgusting. The street and sidewalk are covered in bird poop and you risk that happening to your car if you park in the four or so spots that make up the "pigeon zone". In the last few months, the feedings have increased and the pigeons are everywhere. Now we're starting to see rats in the neighborhood, presumably eating all the food that gets strewn about.

I've called 311. I've left a phone message with the Health Department. I've sent in an electronic complaint with photos. All this and I haven't gotten a single response. Preferably, the city would put up a sign asking people not to feed the pigeons. I don't know exactly what the laws on that are here, so perhaps that's not a possibility. It would be really nice though to at least get a response to my inquiries. Is there anyone else I should be contacting, or is this a lost cause and we're just going to have to put up with pigeon poop and rats?

Comments

[redcolumbine.livejournal.com]

Until the coyotes come.

[upsidown.livejournal.com]

Oh my god, I wonder if you live on my street! We don't have a rat problem (*as far as I know*), but we have a little old lady who throws bread and treats out on the street, sidewalk, and driveway. It drives me nuts, and I want to ask her to stop, but she's, like, an old lady, and I feel like she's entitled to her craziness.

[secretlyironic.livejournal.com]

There was a lady who was feeding pigeons on my street at my last apartment. I eventually did ask her to stop doing it there, and she moved it elsewhere... might not hurt. Especially if you act sympathetic. Not "You're feeding vermin" but "The animals you have such compassion for keep pooping on my house, could you feed them somewhere else?"

[whowehavetofear.livejournal.com]

That's a good idea. Unfortunately, I don't know who exactly is leaving all the food out, but I'll keep my eyes open.

[davelew.livejournal.com]

Although it's probably the most flagrantly violated non-traffic rule in the city, Somerville Municipal Code section 3-3 says:

(a) No person shall feed or bait any animal in any street or other place except in accordance with a permit from the superintendent of highways that may be revoked at any time.
(b) The feeding of birds is hereby prohibited in or on all sidewalks, streets, parks, or other public property.
(c) Whoever violates any of the provisions of this section shall be fined in accordance with section 1-11(b).

section 1-11(b) calls for a $25 fine for feeding the birds.

[ron_newman]

I blame Mary Poppins.

[xuth.livejournal.com]

or Tom Lehrer (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNA9rQcMq00)

[skexy.livejournal.com]

If they were using the Tom Lehrer method the pigeons wouldn't be a problem for long.....

[theodosia.livejournal.com]

Go directly to Animal Control rather than the health department.

A plate of spaghetti??!!

[whowehavetofear.livejournal.com]

Good idea! And yeah, it's not just bread and birdseed- Someone left an enormous thing of spaghetti and sauce on the sidewalk a few months back.

[mamabunny72.livejournal.com]

Animal Control= good idea.
How about contacting your alderman?

[whowehavetofear.livejournal.com]

Good call! I'll email her.

[ron_newman]

The Animal Control officer is grateful1311. I sent her an LJ private message that mentioned this post, but you may want to contact her directly.

[smammy]

Someone does this on the bike path between Davis and Willow too! Big piles of bread, mostly. Perplexing!

[dial-zero.livejournal.com]

I saw someone pull up near the bus stop under the McGrath Highway and dump out a huge bag of birdseed and a bunch of bread. Blehhhh. I'm sure a lot of it went to rats.

[perspicuity.livejournal.com]

on the old farm, we'd liberally spray overfeed areas with bleach. generally took care of the problem quickly.

dollar store bleach is a dollar. just sayin'.

#

[grateful1311.livejournal.com]

Hello all.
Animal Control does not handle rat or bird-feeding issues.
If you are having an issue with people leaving food in public you should contact 311 and ask them to put a work order in for the Health Department. If the issue persists you may then call 311 back and they can check the disposition of the complaint if you provide them with the work order number.

There is also a way to enter a work order online here:

http://citizen.somervillema.intelligovsoftware.com/Default.aspx?SessionTimeout=1

[madrigal.livejournal.com]

Did your alderman get back to you?

[whowehavetofear.livejournal.com]

Unfortunately, I've been busy this week and wasn't able to write to my alderman till today, but I'll post again if I get any response.

[whowehavetofear.livejournal.com]

As an update, it's been a week and my alderman hasn't gotten back to me [though I don't know how busy she is]. When I signed into the city of Somerville website, the work order ticket for my complaint was marked completed, though nothing's changed, so I'm not really sure they did anything. At this point, I'm assuming it's a lost cause.