West Kelowna is looking for help with their least welcome resident.

含羞草研究社淚n recent years, the province of B.C. has seen an increase in the population and distribution of rats for which no provincial strategy exists,含羞草研究社� reads a resolution West Kelowna council wants forwarded for consideration by delegates attending the Southern Interior Local Government Association Annual General Meeting.

The rat infestations, council said, lead to damage to buildings, electrical wiring and stored food supplies and rats carry diseases that could be transmitted to humans.

Given the affect on community health and safety, council would like the Ministry of Environment to develop and fund a strategy to reduce and/or control the rat population in B.C.

The wording of the resolution is vague, councillors pointed out during a Feb. 14 meeting, because it含羞草研究社檚 unclear where the province stands on the issue.

Rats are also a fairly new pest in the valley, as Coun. Rusty Ensign pointed out.

含羞草研究社淲e never had rats in the valley in my entire life and we now see more and more emails (complaining about rats),含羞草研究社� Ensign said. 含羞草研究社淲e can含羞草研究社檛 deal with it as a city, it含羞草研究社檚 pointless. If it含羞草研究社檚 not dealt with regionally we含羞草研究社檙e not going to get rid of them.含羞草研究社�

The onus to keep rats out of private property will still likely rest on homeowners, which Mayor Doug Findlater has had some experience with.

含羞草研究社淚 had them in my shed 含羞草研究社� and a problem under my hot-tub, where they liked the heat and I went trapping,含羞草研究社� he said. 含羞草研究社淎nd successfully resolved it 含羞草研究社� I hope.