Cincinnati ranks in the top five most infested cities in the nation for bed bugs. Tami Burkel, owner of Valley Termite & Pest Control, has a background in the healthcare industry and works with the Board of Health to ensure customers are compliant with Board of Health regulations.
Until Council added bed bugs, it was illegal in Cincinnati to permit an infestation of "rodents, fleas, lice, roaches, weevils" and unspecified "other vermin". The City of Cincinnati has determined that bed bugs are now officially considered a vermin. By adding them to Cincinnati Municipal Code Section 1601-17, bed bugs are among the critters the city ordinance requires owners and occupants of buildings to control. Harboring a vermin infestation is a fourth-degree misdemeanor, punishable by up to 30 days in jail and a $250 fine.
Bed Bug Legislation PassedDETECTION
If you think you might have a bed bug infestation in your rental property, the signs that you should look for include the eggs, small bed bugs, adults, molts of the shell that are left behind, the dark fecal spotting, and blood smears. We also offer canine detection of bed bugs to further detect their presence. Call us right away if you suspect anything so that we can prevent the problem from getting out of control and you can avoid legal action.
THE "T" SHAPE METHOD
GRANT PROGRAM
New bed bug legislation centers on the establishment of a grant program to assist states in the inspection of hotel rooms and directing the Center for Disease Control & Prevention to "investigate the public health implications" of bed bugs on lodging and housing. Specific consideration will be given to determine the impact bed bugs have on mental health, their potential for spreading infectious disease, and their effect on other diseases, such as asthma.