Under Milwaukee Code Ch. 80-12 and Ch. 79, property owners must keep premises rodent-free, maintain ratproof structures, and store refuse in covered containers; Health Department inspectors issue abatement orders.
Milwaukee's rodent control program is governed by Milwaukee Code Chapter 79 (Aquaculture/Vermin) and Ch. 80-12 (Property Maintenance). Property owners must rodent-proof structures, eliminate harborage, and maintain trash in approved covered containers under Ch. 79-2. The Health Department's Consumer Environmental Health Division inspects in response to complaints and conducts proactive baiting in alleys, particularly in older near-north and near-south neighborhoods where infestations cluster around food sources and vacant lots. Inspectors issue notice-of-violation orders requiring abatement within specified timeframes (typically 7-30 days). The city also runs targeted neighborhood baiting through the Department of Public Works.
Failure to abate after notice can result in re-inspection fees, citations under Ch. 80, and city contractor abatement billed to the property owner via special assessment on tax bills.
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