Some residents of Oak Valley in Deptford Township, N.J. say they have a rodent problem that's so bad, they can't allow their children to play outside.
"They're the size of tomcats," said resident Russ Lenardo.
The Gloucester County Times reported that about 40 Oak Valley residents met on Tuesday to discuss the rat problem in their neighborhood. The meeting was facilitated by the Gloucester County Department of Health and Senior Services and the township in response to a series of complaint calls to township officials about the rats, according to the Gloucester County Times.
On Thursday NBC10's Terry Ruggles spoke to some of those residents.
"We've seen about four of them... they come out at night," long-time resident Susan Forte told NBC10.
Township officials speculate the problem may have been spurred by the demolition of Hillside Manor Apartment complex, which was reportedly not exterminated before it came down about two years ago.
Officials say it's possible people could get sick if they come in contact with the rats our rats' feces. If you come in contact with rats or rats waste you should immediately wash your hands with soup and water and be sure to towel dry your hands.
Here are some tips county health officials had to keep the rats away:
- Remove food sources including dog feces
- eliminate sources of water
- remove piles of wood where rats could rest
County health officials are working on trying to eliminate the rats, they said.
