Identify
Droppings are typically the easiest way to identify a rodent problem. Mouse droppings are small, like black grains of rice.
You may also see rats, hear rat squeaking as well as hissing and chattering, or find chewed-up material. Outside, there may be burrows or runways.
How to get rid of rodents
With an increase in urban farming (more people growing gardens, having small chicken coops, etc.) those areas become a prime habitat for rodents.
If your neighborhood is close to fields and open area, rainfall can also exacerbate the issue due to rising water levels and rodents being pushed into neighborhoods for the winter.
This is not specifically an Albany issue but one that most cities deal with.
Prevention or extermination measures fall to individual property owners:
- Remove sources of food and shelter.
- Prevent access to your home.
- Remove excess debris from your yard.
- Keep compost enclosed in a bin with a tight-fitting lid.
- Contain chicken and animal food in rodent-proof containers.
- Sweep and contain or dispose of uneaten feed after meals.
- Eliminate rodents through trapping or professional help.
Warning: Use of poison is not recommended and should be regarded as a last resort tactic. Poison can harm or kill humans, pets, birds, and other animals, as well as our environment.
Reporting your concerns about rodents
At or near restaurants, food carts, food booths, schools, and day cares
- Benton County Health Department, 541-766-6835 (for businesses in North Albany), or
- Linn County Public Health, 541-967-3888
An inspector will be sent to the facility.
At grocery stores, farmer's markets, food processors or growers
Call the Oregon Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and they will send an inspector to the facility, 503-986-4720.
At or near a specific private property in the city limits of Albany
If there’s a specific property that proves to be the source of an infestation that’s impacting neighboring properties, the City will contact that property owner directly about addressing it. The City does not have a program to address general rodent issues that are not tied to a specific property infestation or code compliance case.
If there’s a specific property that’s of concern, contact our Code Compliance Officer in the Albany Police Department at 541-917-7680 or by using their online form.
In or around sewers or on public property within the city limits of Albany
Contact Public Works at 541-917-7600.
Cleaning up after rodents
Always take precautions to protect yourself from the potential of infectious disease. Wear gloves, clean surfaces with disinfectant, and follow all labeled instructions.
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If you live near water in Albany and, somewhere near you, new houses or businesses are being built, you may find destructive unwanted guests on your lawn, in your garden, or on your patio or deck. They’re nutria.
Nutria look a lot like beaver but aren’t as big and they have a rat-like (not flat) tail. They live in burrows in the banks of rivers, sloughs, streams and ponds and can cause considerable damage by weakening roadbeds, sidewalks, stream banks, dams and dikes. Nutria are also tough on gardens and field crops, trees and shrubs, and lawns and can damage natural plants.
In Oregon, nutria are classified as unprotected nongame wildlife. That means they can be trapped and killed; they cannot be relocated. Property owners don’t need a license to control nutria on their property. Albany prohibits discharging a firearm within the city limits, but a pellet gun or bow and arrow may be used as long as the projectiles don’t leave the property.
The City of Albany does not trap or otherwise remove nutria from private property. If you have a nutria problem, it’s best to contact a professional trapper for help.
For other information about nutria in Oregon, visit https://www.dfw.state.or.us/wildlife/living_with/nutria.asp
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The Albany Municipal Code and Albany Development Code contain the City's laws related to dangerous buildings, fire and life safety, and nuisance conditions.
To report a code violation, contact APD at 541-917-7680.
Common Code Complaints
Animals
Animals
Dogs
The following issues may result in a response by the Albany Police Department:
- Dogs must be on leash when they are not otherwise contained by fencing or a kennel.
- Dog owners must clean up after their pets.
- Dogs that bark cumulatively for more than 10 minutes during any one-hour period when such barking is audible off the premises of the dog's owner or keeper are considered a public nuisance.
- Issues of abuse and/or neglect (e.g., dog is left in a hot enclosed vehicle, being physically abused)
- An immediate threat against a human or animal.
Cats
- There is no State law or Albany Municipal Code governing the licensing of cats or requiring immediate control of a cat, as there is for dogs.
- Community Service Officers do respond to pick up a sick or injured cat when the owner can’t be found, and they do investigate reports of abuse or neglect.
Non-domesticated / injured animals
- Feral cats, raccoons, opossums, nutria, ducks, and mink are often found in the city; however, these animals are not domestic and generally do not receive a response from a Community Service Officer.
Inside city limits
Albany Police Department
541-917-7680 (or 9-1-1 if there is an immediate threat to a human or another animal)
Albany Public Works Operations
Large (e.g., deer) dead animal removal on a city street
541-917-7600
Outside city limits
Benton County Animal Control
541-766-6789
Linn County Animal Control
541-967-3925
Other resources
Chintimini Wildlife Center
Injured wild animals
541-745-5324
Safehaven Humane Society
Animal re-homing
541-928-2789
Junk and Trash
Junk & Trash
Living or working next to a property in the city that collects junk vehicles, parts, tires, and other accumulated trash is both a hazard and a blight on our community. We take pride in our city and encourage good neighbor relationships. Investigating reports of debris, garbage, and junk deemed a nuisance by the Municipal Code is just one of the many duties a Community Service Officer investigates.
Albany Municipal Code states that it is unlawful for any person, or any agent or employee of any person, to keep any debris, garbage, or junk outdoors on any street, public sidewalk, lot, or premises within the City.
If a Community Service Officer determines during their investigation that a property is in violation of this city ordinance, a citation may be issued. If this is the first citation the person has ever received for this violation, the person in charge of the property may be able to have the citation dismissed if the property is cleaned up within 30 days and prior to the court date on the citation. Additional citations for the same violation are not allowed to be dismissed.
When a person is issued a citation for violating the Junk and Trash ordinance, the Community Service Officer informs them whether they’re eligible to have the citation dismissed and provides a form outlining the procedure. Follow the instructions on that form. If the form has been lost or there are additional questions, call the Community Service Officer who issued the citation for more information.
The bail amount listed on the citation is not necessarily the fine associated with the violation. The bail amount is identified on the citation to inform the person receiving it what the bail amount could be if they fail to appear for their court appearance and a warrant for their arrest is issued.
Public Right-of-Way
Public Right-of-Way
- Trash containers should be placed at the curb no more than 24 hours before pick-up; store containers off the street.
- Garage sales are limited to three times per year, per property, and for no more than three consecutive days.
- Portable basketball hoops should be used in your driveway, not the street, blocking sidewalks, parking areas, or mailboxes.
Vegetation
Vegetation (Tall Grass)
The Albany Municipal Code defines weeds, tall grass, or other noxious vegetation as a public nuisance and subject to citation. It is unlawful for the owner or any person in possession or control of any lot or premises within the city to maintain a lot or premises that is determined to be a fire hazard or safety hazard as defined under any of the following conditions:
When excess vegetation is determined by the fire chief or their designee to be a fire hazard;
When vegetation creates a public safety concern, such as but not limited to, blocking the view of oncoming traffic, blocking the public right-of-way, or blocking vision clearance areas around intersections and driveways, or
When vegetation is in excess of 10 inches. (Exceptions can be granted for parcels of land used for agricultural purposes.)
Additional items:
- You are also responsible for maintaining the planter strip between the sidewalk and the curb in front of your property.
- Trees overhanging sidewalks should be trimmed to 8 feet above the sidewalk.
- Trees overhanging streets should be trimmed to 14 feet above street level.
City street vision clearance hazards can also be reported to Public Works Operations at 541-917-7600.
Ready to file a complaint? File a complaint with APD
What happens after the complaint is made?
- After the Albany Police Department receives a complaint, a notice is sent to the property owners or others in control of the property, giving them 14 days to abate it.
- If the work is not completed by the responsible party within 14 days, the City may perform the work and bill for it.
- If the nuisance poses an imminent danger, the City may perform the work WITHOUT notice and bill the responsible person.
Vehicles
Vehicles
City ordinances allow motor homes, travel trailers, boats, fifth-wheel trailers, and other recreational vehicles to be parked on public rights-of-way for up to 48 hours with the consent of the adjacent property owner. Without that permission, vehicles may not be stored on the street for more than 24 hours.
Length Restriction
Any vehicle or combination of vehicles more than 23 feet long or eight feet wide cannot be parked on a street, alley, public parking lot, or parking strip between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. on weekdays or all day Saturday, Sunday, and holidays. Vehicles must not block traffic signs or a driver's clear view at intersections.
Camping in Vehicles
Albany ordinances allow camping in recreational vehicles within the front yard setback for up to 48 hours with the property owner's consent. A residential property owner may allow someone to camp in a recreational vehicle on their property for up to seven days in a 90-day period.
If your vehicle is parked illegally...
Vehicles found parked illegally will be marked by the Albany Police Department and must be moved within 72 hours.
Vehicles that are not registered, have expired registrations, or are stored on a street may be tagged as abandoned and could be towed. The owners are charged for the towing bill, vehicle storage fee, and civil penalty.
Funding
The budget for code enforcement comes primarily from property taxes and includes funds for property cleanup, title searches, and the prosecution of serious cases in Albany Municipal Court or Linn County Circuit Court. Enforcement of City codes is performed by the Albany Police Department.
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