Residents press Mesquite council for action on recurring rat infestation in neighborhood

Residents of Osprey Street told the Mesquite City Council on Aug. 26 that a persistent rodent infestation is spreading from a poorly maintained property into neighboring yards and creating a health and safety concern. Daniella Cortez, who identified herself as an Osprey Street resident, said the rats "are now leaving her house and going into others" and that animal control had told her "nothing could be done." She described green, stagnant pools and daily rodent sightings. "After 9 p.m. the rats are everywhere, literally everywhere," she said. Patty Ahrens, who said she lives behind the affected property, told the council the problem has persisted since 2021 and described foul odors and repeated re-infestion despite intermittent cleanups. "They cleaned up the refrigerators, the freezers, all the yard debris, but nothing else," Ahrens said. Council members and staff discussed options. City staff said the property is private and enforcement requires following legal procedures; animal control staff said they had cleaned the property earlier in the year but that recurring lack of maintenance makes permanent removal difficult. The council encouraged neighborhood deratification steps such as coordinated tamper‑proof bait boxes and asked staff to contact County health representatives (Marilyn Kirkpatrick was named) for support. City staff indicated they would attempt to contact the County Board of Health and work with the owner to address maintenance. No ordinance or emergency abatement order was issued at the meeting; residents were advised of interim, private measures to reduce rat migration and to coordinate with city animal control for follow-up.