Totes were worth the investment
Bee Editorial
After years of seeing the rodent population increase in the suburbs, it's a relief to see some decrease. Peter Tripi, Erie County senior public health sanitarian, attributes much of the decline to the purchase of totes.

For all the complaints about them being too heavy or too big, we'll take those inconveniences over rats on our property any day.

It wasn't easy, but it was worth it. Finding the money, ordering and distributing the totes was costly and time consuming, but it had to be done. The rats were starting to become very comfortable throughout the town and village.

One resident took us on a tour of her home, and no one would ever want to deal with her problem. The rats were burrowing in from all corners of her home. She stuffed scouring pads into the holes to try and stop them. She became a landscaping expert, keeping her lawn free of any food source or shelter possibilities. But she still found dead rats in her garbage cans and live ones running happily around her property. Residents pleaded with the Town Board to do something because the rodents just kept coming.

With the totes now in place, the Erie County Vector Department reported that the numbers are decreasing. Thankfully. We hope the worst is past for the town, but that can only happen if the totes are used properly.

Don't overstuff the totes. If you need another one, ask the town if that's a possibility. If the lids aren't closed, animals can get inside to get food. As long as rats have food they won't eat the bait that kills them off.

The problem became bigger than cohabiting with the rodents. It turned tragic for dogs in Western New York. Tripi said there were approximately 150 confirmed cases of leptospirosis in WNY from 2004-06, 35 in Amherst. The disease mostly affects dogs and other animals and can be deadly for animals.

But it can also affect humans. Symptoms include high fever, rash, vomiting and jaundice. Tripi said while only three human cases were reported in the state in 2000 (the most recent data available) he was concerned that ignorance of the rat problem in WNY would only breed trouble.

His basic message to town residents: you have the totes, use them properly. Rats need us for food and shelter so stop giving it to them.

The county is also going after businesses with overflowing Dumpsters. The totes will do no good if the rats can just turn the corner and find plenty of food from a local restaurant.

Keep the garbage in the totes and the rodents out of town. Albeit late, the town finally got it right.