Palatine neighborhood dealing with rat infestation

Palatine residents are grappling with a sudden rat infestation in their neighborhood, prompting village action.

Village Council Member Scott Lamerand and village officials held a public meeting Thursday to address growing concerns.

The issue emerged Aug. 25 when the village received initial reports about rodent activity. Between 30 and 40 residents attended the meeting.

According to the meeting notice, the sightings occurred in the 300 and 400 blocks of South Benton and South Hale streets.

But residents in attendance reported seeing rats beyond those boundaries.

Area resident Justin O’Rourke, who attended, said someone reported seeing a rat crossing Plum Grove Road.

While several sightings have occurred in residents' yards, to his knowledge no one has officially reported rats inside their homes, Lamerand said. The cause remains undetermined, though theories include construction work on Route 53 or the demolition of Arlington Park.

The village has responded by working with residents to eliminate food and water sources that attract rodents.

“From everybody we've talked with, they've emptied their bird feeders and done all they can to mitigate any set of food sources,” Lamerand said.

Televised inspections found no evidence of nesting in sewers, although some nests were found in yards, and Cook County is sending an expert for further assessment, Lamerand said.

Village officials also suggests residents engage pest control services.

Lamerand said the main infestation affects residential areas rather than restaurants, though one resident reported seeing rats near an area restaurant.

The village is considering placing traps in public areas but avoiding rat poison in public spaces.

“We're obviously not going to put out rat poison in the public right of way,” Lamerand said.

O’Rourke said a neighbor reported seeing as many as 15 rats at once, while another’s video camera caught activity every 20 seconds.

“My next door neighbor said that she's seen one at a time on three different occasions,” O’Rourke said.

O'Rourke said the village needs to act immediately.

“If this doesn't get out to the public and it doesn't get addressed quickly, then there's going to be no turning back,” he said.