Rostraver contracts exterminator for rat-infested property

Animal rescue groups are now caring for the animals removed from the condemned Adams Drive property.

Rostraver Township recently contracted with an exterminator to help with a rat-infested property.

Township Manager Jeffrey Keffer told the Mon Valley Independent after Monday’s commissioner’s meeting they entered into a contract with Expel, a pest extermination company, to help mitigate a rat-infestation on a property along Adams Drive. Keffer said the township has already worked with Expel under a separate contract for other services.

“The township today entered into a contract with an exterminating service to provide services to that area and to the resident properties along Adams Drive to help with getting rid of the rat issues,” Keffer said. “Because now that we’re getting that property cleaned up, they’re (rats) moving out, so we did enter into a contract today. Actually starting tomorrow, he’s going to be out there setting traps.”

The condemned property owned by Wendi Kraemer (also known as Wendi Garza), has been the source of a significant rat issue for surrounding neighbors on Adams Drive.

Kraemer was recently charged with public nuisance after a video showed several rats on her property.

The township code enforcement officer condemned Kraemer’s property and found four dead cats and removed 21 cats and three dogs. Three cats and one dog were in critical condition.

Authorities and rescue organizations also removed close to 80 pigs from Kraemer’s property, with some being taken by Pigsburgh Squealers Rescue.

Keffer said that Expel will be working on the property and the surrounding area for possibly six months to a year. Keffer said that he could not share the cost for the exterminator, but noted that it was not “cheap.”

Keffer stated that the investigation is active and still ongoing.

Commissioner Justin Kosanko on Monday commended all the services involved in helping the animals on the property and dealing with the poor conditions they were in.

“It’s a shame that those pigs had to deal with that, same with the cats and the dogs,” Kosanko said. “Our first responders, whether it be the police department, whether it be the zoning officer, township Manager Keffer, the police that helped out our road crew, everybody that was involved went above and beyond to be as humane as possible for these animals. To try to give them the best chance to survive. It’s a shame that it got to this situation.”

Pigsburgh Squealers Rescue posted on Facebook that they recently had to take one of the rescued pregnant pigs to a veterinarian to perform an emergency cesarean section. The volunteers asked for donations to perform the surgery.

On Saturday, the rescue stated the surgery went well for the pig they named “Geez Louise,” and that she had six piglets.

Donations for Pigsburgh Squealers Rescue can be made at https://www.pigsburghsquealers. com/support.

Kindred Spirits Rescue Ranch also took 10 pigs from the Rostraver animal rescue case. Donations can also be made to its website at https:// www.ksrr.org/.