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CNN Live Sunday

Interview With Franklin Hall

Aired July 21, 2002 - 17:16   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: The rodents are a huge problem this summer in Los Angeles, including posh areas like Beverly Hills. Some experts say a dry winter and summer heat are causing the rats to look for water and foliage in the manicured yards of places like Beverly Hills and the Pacific Palisades and they're more than just an unsightly nuisance. They also can be very dangerous.

Microbiologist Franklin Hall of the Los Angeles County Health Department, he joins us on the telephone from L.A. to talk about the problem, and Franklin, is it really the case of a lot more four-legged rats in the Los Angeles area?

FRANKLIN HALL, MICROBIOLOGIST: Hi. No, not really. I don't think it's really a population increase in Los Angeles County, but there has been more exposure, more contact with the general public with these rodents.

WHITFIELD: So what's the problem? Why are they making themselves more visible and becoming much more of a nuisance?

HALL: Well, part of the problem is that we did have somewhat sort of a drought this summer and that means there's less vegetation, less fruits, less natural food sources for the rodents. These rodents that live really in the wild are starting to make their presence known by coming down a little bit from the hillsides, checking out some places that are lush, like you mentioned before, swimming pools, dog food, wherever that can be available to them as food. There's not that many rodents, there's not an increase, but definitely there is more rodents looking for food, you know, and water.

WHITFIELD: And it kind of makes you want to chuckle but it really is pretty serious. I mean serious enough that about seven restaurants, I understand, in the Los Angeles County area had to close down because of this infestation of rats, and we're seeing or we're hearing from a lot of homeowners who say that they're finding rats in their homes that they never saw before. So, what's the recommendation? What do you tell these business owners and homeowners?

HALL: That's funny. Those rodents are really like house mice. They're not really the type that you get from the outdoors. They basically live within restaurants and commercial buildings, but basically rodents in general, I think, are seen more nowadays because people are more aware of it. WHITFIELD: Yes.

HALL: We do have (UNINTELLIGIBLE) all the time with the Health Department. We're constantly checking the restaurants for you know pets and other vermin. It just so happens that this particular area had a lot of problems and, I think, the media kind of helped us in kind of educating the general public about rats in general.

WHITFIELD: And, Franklin, I have a feeling that when folks hear the word "rat," they really don't care what kind of breed of rat. We're just talking about a nuisance that nobody really wants to welcome into their home. So what are the recommendations that the county is making to people to try and get rid of these rats. Should they try it themselves, or do they need to hire somebody with some professional advice?

HALL: Well, people can do a lot towards preventing that from getting to their homes by themselves. There's a whole list of things you can do from taking the dog food away, making sure your trash is taken care of, cut back your vegetation, picking up the fruits off the ground, and making sure your house is rodent proof so they can't get into the garage or underneath a structure.

Los Angeles County does talk to the residents all the time about education. We have a lot of education. Just give us a call and we'll give you basically the whole laundry list of what you can do for yourselves.

WHITFIELD: Huh.

HALL: Controlling rats themselves, it could be problematical because you might hurt yourself more than you're helping the situation. Using poison could be somewhat dangerous unless you know what you're doing. Using snapshots could nip off some of your little fingers unless you are pretty adept at handling these rat traps. So, I think if they called the Health Department or the local health agency, they can basically get good advice from us, rather than just getting it over the phone. If you call us, we'll give you advice.

WHITFIELD: And so, Franklin, since you said the weather is certainly a problem, or that kind of inspired these rats to come out. If you get a break in the heat out there, do you think that might help things kind of keep these little guys at bay?

HALL: Well, you can't expect anything else. Rodents, they forage at night. They're nocturnal, as you know, and if it's a warm you know summer's night, they're going to go out looking for food and for water and it's almost like taking an evening stroll. They're looking for things out there and if the weather breaks, it's not going to eliminate the problem because summertime is usually pest time and that's one thing we have to be aware of that's going on out there.

WHITFIELD: Franklin Hall, this topic is giving me the creeps, but we're glad to have had you on the telephone with the Los Angeles County Health Department. Thanks very much and hope you guys get that problem under control out there. HALL: We're working on it.

WHITFIELD: All right, thanks a lot.

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