Label
Council President Williams
Agenda Review
Rodent Abatement
3/24/2026
Title
From: Council President Williams Response Requested: ASAP
Please detail the process of rodent abatement done by TLCHD.
Body
Referral Response:
To: City Council
Thru: Joe Fausnaugh, Director, Public Service
From: Sara Stacy, Commissioner, Urban Beautification 3/26/26
Subject: Demolition Rodent Abatement & Release Form
The Toledo-Lucas County Health Department provides rodent abatement services in support of the demolition program through an established Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). Under this agreement, the Health Department is responsible for inspecting properties, performing rodent abatement activities, and issuing the required release form prior to demolition.
Rodents are considered a significant public health concern due to their ability to carry and transmit disease. In addition, they can cause substantial structural damage to properties, often resulting in thousands of dollars in losses. Rats, in particular, may travel in search of food but tend to establish nests in quiet, undisturbed areas such as the grounds of long-vacant homes.
As part of its role, the Health Department inspects properties for active burrows and signs of rodent activity. When appropriate, traps are deployed if the structure is secure. Rodenticide is not applied or left at unsecured properties to prevent accidental exposure to children or non-target species.
It is important to note that the Health Department does not function as a licensed pest control applicator within this program. As such, services do not include treatment or abatement for other pests such as bed bugs or cockroaches. Additionally, cockroach infestations typically require a consistent food source, which is generally not assumed to be present in long-abandoned vacant structures.
Expanding abatement efforts to include additional pests would significantly increase program costs and require specialized pesticide licenses, ongoing continuing education units (CEUs), and additional regulatory compliance. All pesticide-related recordkeeping by the Health Department is subject to inspection by the Ohio Department of Agriculture.
Property owners are encouraged to take preventive measures to minimize pest activity, including proper property maintenance and ensuring that trash or other potential food sources are not left accessible, which can attract rodents and other pests.
The Health Department is working on establishing a city-wide rodent abatement program, that is complaint driven, that will replace and expand after June 30, 2026 the CBDG funded program limited to certain areas.
Please let me know if further clarification or additional information is needed.