LAKE COUNTY, Ohio — Are rats taking over the cities of East Lake and Willowick? The residents we've heard from would say yes.
Roger Tayfel is not only a disgusted Willowick resident, but he owns his own pest control company: Culex Pest Control.
"Maybe starting two years ago, I got a couple of calls in the whole year. This year, I'm getting calls every week, two or three a week," Tayfel said.
He said he's even caught four rats in his own garage this year.
"It's pretty disgusting. It's pretty crazy. Everybody I'm talking to is having the same issues, so it's super concerning," Tayfel told me on Wednesday. "I do this for a living and it still freaks me out because it's your home, so you feel invaded almost."
The rats he has seen, too, aren't small either.
"They're full grown. They're Norwegian brown rats. They reproduce really quick, like a mated pair can make 1,000 in a year. All the ones I got have been really quite large, so it kind of tells you they're aged and they've been around a while," Tayfel said.
Each time he catches a rat on his own property or someone else's, Tayfel said he notifies the city.
"The numbers keep going up. In all fairness to the city, they have been doing a really good job at looking at the adjacent properties to see if there's trash and if they need maintained or whatever and they do notify the owners, but at this point, I think it's just kind of gotten ahead of them," Tayfel said.
We reached out to the City of Willowick for more information.
The City of Willowick takes these reports seriously and has taken proactive steps to address the issue. We have significantly increased our baiting efforts, with targeted baiting in areas where rat activity has been reported. We are already seeing a noticeable decrease in activity in the areas that have been treated, and we will continue to monitor and adjust our efforts accordingly.
When a complaint is received, our process begins immediately. Our inspectors visit the property as well as surrounding areas to identify potential attractants such as outdoor food sources, stagnant water, wood piles, or improperly stored garbage. Residents feeding wildlife—such as birds, deer, or squirrels—can also unintentionally contribute to the problem by providing a food source for rodents. When these conditions are found, we work directly with property owners to resolve the issue.
In addition to property inspections, the Willowick Service Department routinely baits storm sewers as part of an integrated pest management strategy aimed at reducing the rodent population and preventing future infestations.
While our location along the lake presents some unique environmental challenges, we remain committed to protecting public health and safety through a combination of education, enforcement, and direct intervention.
As for East Lake, Natalie Bradac said she has lived there for three years, and it seems to her that this is a recurring issue.
"I have not personally witnessed them, but I have had neighbors next door to me witness them in my own backyard. I guess I can't even feed our local birds at this point because of the issue that we've been having. I have seen some deceased in the roads nearby," Bradac said.
Not only are these rodents a nuisance, but Bradac calls them a health hazard.
"Rats are a very common carrier of leptospirosis, and that can be spread through their urine, in the soil, in the water. It's not only transmissible to our pets, but humans as well," Bradac said.
She said the dead rats she has seen look to be about two pounds.
"They've been a fair size," Bradac added. "It's uncomfortable knowing that I'm living among these rats. It's just becoming a problem. I'm hoping that they can at least address it, at least become concerned about the issue, and just have the community's voice be heard."
We also reached out to City of East Lake Mayor James Overstreet for a response.
The calls would go to the building or service [department]. Basically, it boils down to property maintenance by eliminating sources for food like dog poop, bird feeders, open trash cans and such. Also any form of shelter like junk piles, unkept wood piles, weeds and tall grass. Residents can also obtain their own bait from Lowe's and Home Depot which has instructions on how to use it. I am aware that there has been a rat problem in the past, and have baited areas that had them. In the year I have been in the Mayor's office, I have not heard of any continuing problem.
Tayfel recommended a couple of ways for treating rodents.
"You can use a bait, which will kill them. A lot of people don't like that. There are some new products out that are birth control. It's made out of cottonseed oil, so it's totally environmentally safe, and that'll keep them from reproducing."
Tayfel said he's more than happy to provide free consultations to those in need.
"Probably 60% of my contacts with people are just advice, a lot of stuff people can do on their own before I'm even needed," he said.
You can reach Culex Pest Control at 440-679-3186 or through its website.
