BOISE, Idaho — If you've spent any time in Boise's North End, you've probably seen them — wild turkeys wandering through yards and crossing neighborhood streets.
But while the birds have become a familiar sight, the city's new ordinance is focused on a less welcome visitor: rats.
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The Boise City Council recently approved a new ordinance aimed at reducing food sources for both rats and wild turkeys. The new rules outline steps homeowners can take to reduce things that attract rats, including securing garbage, pet food, compost piles and fallen fruit.
For North End neighbor Mary Brook, the turkeys have become a regular part of life in the neighborhood, even if they've occasionally given mail carriers a hard time.
"They're not a nuisance to me, no. I've never had a problem. You just have to be mindful of them and enjoy them when you see them," Brook said.
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Brook says her dog, Biscuit, occasionally chases the birds out of the yard, but many neighbors have largely learned to coexist with them.
"They will kind of stop the traffic so their hens can get across, and we should be going slow anyhow, so you just stop and wait," Brook said.
While the ordinance includes measures aimed at reducing things that attract wild turkeys, city leaders say the bigger goal is tackling the region's growing rat problem.
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On the Boise Bench, Rep. John Gannon has spent years raising awareness about rat infestations.
"I'm glad Boise's doing it and I think I'd like to see the other local governments participate as well as irrigation districts and the state," Gannon said.
Under the ordinance, homeowners will be expected to take steps to reduce things that attract rats as the city works alongside Central District Health on broader rat-control efforts. Gannon says the rules could evolve over time, but called it an important first step.
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"To make sure people can use their backyards, we don't want to get too restrictive. At the same time we definitely want to discourage the rats. Let's get to work," Gannon said.
The city says it will work on educating neighbors about the new rules throughout November. Enforcement begins in December.
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