Rats are on the run, thank goodness

By Peggy Zabicki

Your correspondent in West Lawn

3633 W. 60th Place • (773) 504-9327

As I drive around our West Lawn neighborhood, I have noticed a decrease in rodent activity. I still see rats running up and down the alleys, but not as bad as it was a year ago. I thank all my neighbors who called their aldermen to report the rodent sightings. Your calls bring attention to this problem.

I also thank 13th Ward Ald. Marty Quinn and 23rd Ward Ald. Silvana Tabares for seeing that rat poison was placed in alleys and other locations where rats gather. I hope this action will continue.

Here’s something else we can do. Please do not throw bread crumbs on the ground with the intention of feeding squirrels and birds. I have noticed that well meaning but misguided neighbors do this. Any food on the ground will attract rodents.

Also, bird feeders present a problem. People want to feed birds, but what they do not understand is that birds leave their droppings, which are a favorite of rodents. If you have a bird feeder in your yard, you will have rats in your yard.

I love birds and want them to be fed and happy; but at this time of year, there is an abundance of natural foods for birds. Plants and shrubbery are drying up and they are producing seeds galore for birds. There is also a lot of autumn insect activity, and birds do love to eat those as well.

If you see feral cats in the neighborhood and feel that you’d like to feed them, go ahead; but I strongly suggest you put their food on a paper plate and remove the plate immediately after the cat has eaten. Cats are the number one rodent deterrent. We do want to encourage their presence in our neighborhood because they provide such a great service to us.

Continue to call your alderman to report rodents. Call Ald. Quinn at (773) 581-8000 and Ald. Tabares at (773) 582-4444. Please let nature provide food for birds.

This was just some seasonal animal information I wanted to share. I learned a lot about animals when I worked at Lincoln Park Zoo during my younger years.

Now I’m retired and enjoying my free time. One thing I love to do is attend the Calvary Lutheran Church Senior Club. This lively group meets once a month at 6149 S. Kenneth. They welcome all seniors.

Their next meeting will take place on Tuesday, Oct. 18 at noon. Bring a sandwich and a few dollars for bingo. Call Elaine at (773) 424-3031 to let her know you’re coming.

There is no CAPS meeting for Beats 823 and 825 this month, but there will be a meeting for Beats 813 and 833 at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 25 at West Lawn Park, 4233 W. 65th St.

The West Lawn Branch Library, 4020 W. 63rd St., will be having a book discussion for adults. The book is Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk. The discussion will take place on Wednesday, Oct. 19 at Palermo’s Restaurant, 3751 W. 63rd St., from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Call the library for more information at (312) 747-7381.

The Hubbard High School Class of 1972 used their recent reunion to make a donation to the Wounded Warrior Project. Congratulations!

Did you know the school was named after Gurdon Saltonstall Hubbard? He was born in Vermont on Aug. 22, 1802 and later moved to the Chicago area. Hubbard was an insurance underwriter, land speculator, fur trader, stockyard builder and meat packer. He was a member of the military and helped defend Fort Dearborn. He was a friend to Native Americans, an adopted son of Chief Waba and the husband of Watseka, who was the niece of Chief Tamin of Kankakee.

Thank you for your newsy calls and texts last week. I’m always happy to hear from you.