New York City Launches Rat Control Web Site

NEW YORK - The city wants to make sure rats have no place to hide, at least online.

A Rat Information Portal, complete with a searchable map of rat inspections and violations, debuted Thursday on the city's Web site.

Beyond providing advice on rousting the rodents, the site aims to encourage residents to act as rat watchdogs, using the map to track trouble spots and pressure property owners who are slow to address them.

"It's so they can better understand what's expected of the people in charge but also what they can do to help push it along," said Dan Kass, an assistant commissioner of the city Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.

The rat portal, which also offers everything from photos of rat droppings to tips on choosing an exterminator, is the city's latest move to turn up the heat on the rodents. In recent years, the city has dispatched inspectors with handheld computers to canvass neighborhoods for signs of the vermin, hired a renowned rodent expert and stepped up efforts to evict the pests from parks.

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