EUGENE, Ore. -- The Eugene City Council got some public feedback Monday on a new law aimed at reducing the number of rats and other nuisance animals. Officials told KEZI 9 News that there's been an increase in the number of rat-related complaints in recent years. They said wild turkeys are also becoming a big problem.
If counselors approve the new law, it would be illegal to feed turkeys and other wildlife. The ordinance would also ban open compost animal feed not stored properly and overgrown vegetation that rodents live in.
"With this ordinance, if some neighbor's pesky kid kept riding their bike up and down in front of your house and it bugged you, you could say, 'Hey, get rid of that kid because that could attract a bear or a cougar,'" Eugene resident Christy Macleroy said.
City Manager Jon Ruiz says the new code is based on a similar one in Medford. It does not include a ban on feeding feral cats.
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