The problem is the is not county enforcing the trash code. The residents are not using trash cans they are put out bags at night and the cats and dogs running loose are ripping the bags open and turning trash cans over. And some residents are not keeping their clean The county must enforce the codes. Ken

I use a bb gun and go rat hunting in my back yard.

About 3 weeks ago Icalled code division and complained about the rats running rampant through Watersedge and cutting through my yard & was told by lady that it was "(my) problem and to call an exterminator." She then hung up on me. Gives you the counties attitude about helping Dundalk residents. Let this happen in other areas in the county & it would be a scorched earth campaign to eradicate the problem.

I have a pair in my yard which means I will have more by spring. I live on Shipway and don't want a yard full of babies.

Keep voting democrat, it's worked out so well so far...I mean it's only getting worse and will never get any better until people learn that government isn't the answer to anything except maintaining the infrastructure and military. Get the government out our everyday lives and the scum that lives off the government will go away along with all the social disaster they bring.

But telling that to people that vote democrat is like telling it to the wall behind my monitor. They're sitting thinking "No the government hasn't done enough we need to do more of what has consistently failed for the past 70 years." So goes the never ending cycle of no personal accountability for another 70 years when Dundalk will be another part of Baltimore City where you need bars on your windows and drug dealers sitting on your steps.

The rats are terrible! I spent a lot of money to have a parking pad put in my back yard. I can't even park back there because about a month ago my car wouldn't start and 400$ later it's because the rats ate my fuel line and nested in my air filter! I have a 2010 Jeep so it's not an old clunker. It's disgusting! We have a metal trash can and clean up after our dog! For what? If the neighbors don't use a good trash can or even use one at all its pointless.

I LIVE ON BECLARE ROAD AND IT IS A HUGH PROBELM AROUND MY HOUSE.
IT IS GETTING WORSE AND MY REALLY ONLY SOLUTION IS TO MOVE.

I live on/near Wise Ave. I can tell you that the rats are rampant around here. My Wiring Harness was chewed through on my car. Thankfully my car insurance covered it. It cost $1600. Once a neighbor called the Health Dept on me saying I was missing a lid (1 lid) on my trash can. One lid had blown away. I was given a warning. I drive up the road on trash night and see a bunch a green trash bags set out that are not in cans with lids. With that said..I have never seen a county truck or official or even received a letter stating that they were working on the rat problem. Like I said before...We have Delegates who live in the community..Don't they see rats out their door???? I guess they are blind to the needs of their community. Why they keep on getting elected is beyond my understanding.

The Dundalk Renaissance Corporation and 6 community associations are trying to use new methods to decrease rats and trash in the community. While we know this won't solve all the problems, we are working together to try make some change. (The group will also be hosting a resource fair on April 14 for people to learn how to deal with these issues.)

We are looking for volunteers to help with this effort. The program is launching in March and is called 'Don't Trash Our Dundak'. We are having a training for volunteers next Tuesday, Feb 26 6-8pm and/or Saturday, March 2 10-12pm at the DRC office, 11 Center Place. I encourage people to join us!

You can find out more here http://www.dundalkusa.org/pub/DTOD or email me at leah@dundalkusa.org. I hope to see some people at the training! Thanks- Leah

My family has lived in our home for 36 years. For 35 of those years, we never saw a rat. Last summer we found 13 dead rats in our back yard. We see them run up and down the alleyway at night. When you clean out one neighborhood, you are moving the rats to another neighborhood. You need to step up your efforts and do a broader erradication all at one time or this problem will never be resolved. Robert

I do a lot of walking through our community. There are some really nasty yards that are next to well kept properties. There should be some harsh fines on residents that don't know how to maintain their property. If it looks like that on the outside of the home just imagine what the inside looks like. Also, instead of putting up speed cameras that don't work put security cameras on dumping sites to see if you can get tag #'s. I'm tired of walking around the neighborhood and having rats scurry across in front of me.

Doug
I went to my brothers house in Colgate and there is still rats running everywhere over there and here in Gray Haven where I live. The problem isn't solved!!!!!!

Baltimore County Code Enforcement is a joke! I have called and called them and when they come out, they walk around, issue the paperwork, and then nothing is enforced. The same residents, with the same dirty, junk trash yards remain year after year. It's a waste of time. I just continue to use D-Con by the bags and attempt to do my part.

Thanks for all of the comments made here, through email and on Facebook! I've heard from many people who say the same thing—the only thing that changes is the address/neighborhood. I will call some of the folks who sent their phone numbers; take specific questions and concerns to my interview with Mr. von Dommelen; and publish other comments in the article itself.

I'd also welcome photos of some of these problems. You can send pictures to me at marge.neal@patch.com.

Thanks for the input, Dundalk!

How many times can you call and complain about the same residents? Fines, and then 30 days to clean it up for them to start all over again. Code enforcement needs to get a lot better than what I have seen from them. Why should we enforce the codes if it's own agency doesn't.
Kim

It would be nice if we had a dumpster day like a lot of other communities do. It is hard getting out to the dump for some residences. Maybe some of the church youth can help some residences clean out their yards. It should be 2 times a year at least. I live on Wise Ave so it feels like we aren't really part of the community. I think that it would help. I know the city gives out one free trash can..(I know they are going broke) But why not offer a discount program for residences to buy the trash cans that the county wants. I bought mine at Walmart. $15 a can with attached lids. Some animal ate right through the bottom of one of them. Just a thought. I think the dumpster idea is a great idea..

All the authorities have to do is get off their rears & start writing tickets. I trully feel that they will tie up the court system trying to collect money for these fines thats why there not doing any thing about it. Mean while I was wondering if I can deduct the money I spend on rat poison and traps from my house taxes

Shorten the 30 day clean up time to 10 days.

Colgate has been proactive in dealing with the rats. We've notified Code of violaters, provided bait and bait stations and educated residents. A complaint to code is as others have said. Wait 2 weeks, then they get a ticket, and then a court date. It's good that they are fined the max when they do not show up for court but it doesn't solve the problem. So then, we have to start over with another complaint. Some properties have been cited for over a year with no improvement. The last extermination was not done to my yard as well as 8 surrounding yards. We waited to see them and point out problem areas, but no one saw them. Perhaps the County should find a reliable exterminator that will follow up in problem areas and exterminate at lest 2 years in a row. This year, not only have the rats increased in the alleys and back yards, but they've moved to the front yards as well. This summer will be worse. Because it is a health hazard, all yards should be treated....no one opt out.

Please stop blaming the County Officials, Exterminators, etc.. for the rat issue. Every action has a reaction. The rats are not the problem. They are the result of society. We as humans are the problem. Unfortunately, we live in an it's about me world and most feel like everything should be done for them. Get off your butt, stop whining and complaining and do something about it. I am, like most who care for their property but there are many who are just plain animals who chose to eat and lay in their own excrement and their residences are proof.
Over the last 3-4 years, I have trapped and killed over 100 rats in my yard that use it for a thoroughfare.
I walk my dog every evening. The nights before trash day, you can hear the rats inside of trash cans piled with bags and no lids. The rats are smart and they know. These nights are when you see the most. I also, as another wrote, use them for target practice with a bb gun.
As I stated, the rats are not the problem. We, as a society are the problem. The rats are not going away and they will only grow in numbers unless we ALL do something about it.
My guess is it's going to get alot worse and we should recipes for rat.

I have HUGE RATS running through my yard. One morning last week I noticed a huge pile of dirt in my yard and couldn't figure out where it came from. Apparently the rats have build a nest under my neighbor's clean patio and tunneled an escape path under my fence. I have rat traps and I'm trying to catch these disgusting creatures. It's a shame I can't go outside after dark because I am terrified. My neighbors are clean and we all keep lids on our trashcans (when we dont loose them because the trash men wont put them back on and we're not allowed to attach them). I grew up in Dundalk and when trash was picked up twice per week we didn't have this problem.

Thanks for your response Edward.
I agree the County should be involved but only at a Policing level. I don't feel the mass poison baitng is effective or should be at the taxpayers expense. I'd rather see money go to schools than exterminators because of people living like animals. Everyone must deal with it at a personal level.
This issue is widespread and should start closer to home. Neighborhood Associations should be the first to react. Associations should first, simply post notices at residences that they feel are inappropriate. The next step would be to notify the County of these notices. Now, at this point, forget the fines. Building inspectors have the power to shut down construction projects. Utilize the same principal. Shut down the residence. After non-compliance, post evicted / do not enter notices and lock it up until compliance has been met. It may be extreme but it may be what it takes. Ex. ( If your vehicle gets repo'd you'll pay the bill to get it back.) Then again, include a fine to cover ALL of the expenses the County would endure for "property police".

DON'T COMPLAIN TO THE COUNTY, COMPLAIN TO THAT NEIGHBOR WHO LIVES LIKE AN ANIMAL.

Dundalk Girl,

It's not your fault. My yard is nice and my trash cans are covered. The rats nest close to food sources. Look a bit further than you neighbor.
Forget the typical spring loaded traps. They don't work. Rats are are smart and avoid them. My success for trapping them has been a cage type, 12" W x 12" H x 24" L.
I place a half of slice of bread covered with peanut butter on the plate that triggers the trap to close. Once the rat is trapped, I place the barrel of my be BB gun into the cage. The rats will try to bite it. Thats when you pull the trigger. A minute later, the rat is dead and I double plastic bag it and toss it in the trash

I got a letter to buy a rat box because of a rat hole and i called code enforcement to ask where the rats where. i clean my pop up every day, I bought new trash cans, etc etc. I was told by the code enforcement officer that it was my neighbor but he knew i would do something about it so he wrote my house up. I met with johnny O and it was a waste of time but come election year holy CR#p, they sure do something

Our area was treated (not exterminated) about 6 months ago - found dead rats here and there, but they are back in full force. I do not park in my driveway nor do I go out of the house after dark. I don't know what the answer is, but I do feel that stricter enforcement of the regulations governing trash and clutter would help somewhat. I can't wait until the grass starts to grow and those big galoots will then have somewhere to hide - it's almost like the rats are paying taxes and therefore have a right to live in the neighborhood!

If you are using the plastic one with the lids or attached lids, they won't keep the rats from getting in. I have had 3 cans chewed through in the past year. So I will put Rat poison in the bottom of the cans now. It seems to me they adapt to the poison quickly and avoid them. I have put several poisons and trap out in my garage, shed and under the house storage..I can tell you that there is not one nibble on the new batch. I know they are still there though. Maybe we can get a Dundalk discount from an exterminator company. If enough people sign up for the treatments..Money per month or one time treatments....Maybe we can make a dent in it.

Shell9 As you are aware the plastic cans are pure junk when it comes to the rats. Metal cans are the way to go and once they begin to rust replace them. The county needs to regulate this type of trash can if they continue to spend money of extermination efforts.