Lynn neighborhood crawling with rats

LYNN – Locust Street resident Janet Bucklin is fed up with seeing rats scurry across her backyard and she wants the city to take charge and do something about the mounting infestation.After finding her two Newfoundland dogs with squirming rodents in their mouths for the umpteenth time, Bucklin decided to call the Health Department for a little help.”My family has lived in this house for over 100 years, about a block from Manning Bowl, but ever since they tore (Manning) down, we’ve had a problem with rats and rodents in the neighborhood,” she said. “The residents of this city shouldn’t have to deal with this. I mean, shouldn’t the city be taking precautions with all the construction and road work they’re doing?”After receiving Bucklin’s complaint on Thursday, Inspectional Services Department health inspector James Wilson took a ride over to her house, which is located near Flax Pond, to assess the situation.Telltale burrows led Wilson to believe rodent activity is present on Bucklin’s property. A large compost pile located in a neighbor’s yard, complete with a mélange of vegetables and other food products and a bird feeder in Bucklin’s backyard were identified as food sources for the rodents.In years past, rodents feeding on discarded food in open trash containers and other waste have plagued the Ward 5 area because of its dense quarters.Now, the rodents appear to be spreading citywide.”Rats are popping up all over the city,” he said. “I haven’t see a huge problem yet in Ward 1, but I did get a complaint last week from another person on Locust Street about rats.”Wilson advised Bucklin to remove the bird feeder and she said she would speak with her neighbor to rectify the compost pile.In addition, he said he spoke with the Lynn Water and Sewer Department regarding ongoing work at Chestnut and Bowler streets, and will arrange to have 12 rat traps on site for those who need them.”People need to be educated about rats because if there is just a little food on the ground or nearby, they will be open to rodents,” he said.Although Bucklin expressed gratitude toward Wilson for the rat traps, she wondered if they are enough to solve the crisis.”Exterminators are expensive and I’m not sure these traps are enough to deal with this problem,” she said. “It’s really upsetting and disturbing to me that every time I let the dogs out they come back with a muskrat. Or, when I find a rat in my drainpipe or running into the woodpile in the back yard. It’s just gross.”