Venice:  A call for action after a rat infestation at the Gazebo startled people during the Bible Read-a-thon

I recently participated in the BibleReadathon in downtown Venice. It is a great event and we are grateful to the city for the location.

 
I volunteered two nights from 2 am to 6 am. During that time, we heard lots of rustling and other noises around the gazebo. There were numerous rats running around, especially at the back side of the structure. We even saw them climbing the small trees there. I went over to the restroom building and saw one jump out of the trash container and enter the wall of the restroom building.

 
Without a doubt there is an infestation of rats in downtown Venice. They are emboldened around humans, and we had to move our chairs away from the perimeter of the gazebo for fear of them coming into the stage. It was CREEPY to say the least!

 

I don’t need to tell you the health issues rats cause or how quickly they multiply. Also, if publicity about this gets out, I’m afraid people will not come downtown. You have done a spectacular job making our city look beautiful. That will be wasted if you don’t solve this.

 

I go to a small resort town in Indiana for the summer. The local paper publishes the health department inspection reports for the restaurants. One failed inspection can be the kiss of death for that restaurant. Our downtown Venice restaurants have battled to stay open during COVID, and the last thing they need is a rat problem over which they have no control.
 

I BEG YOU, PLEASE DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS!! If you are doing something now, it is NOT WORKING.

 

Please respond with what you will do to stop this infestation.

 

Thank you, I love this town and what you have done here.