Washington, DC is trying a new approach in its ongoing battle against rats, turning to a pharmaceutical solution alongside traditional poisons. Health officials announced plans to introduce edible birth-control bait in neighborhoods where rodent infestations are severe, starting in Adams Morgan. The city will also continue using two conventional types of rat poison—one in edible form and another as a powder, according to NBC Washington.
DC Health Director Ayanna Bennett explained that crews will first work to lower the existing rodent population, then return after roughly three weeks to check for any surviving young. “You’ve asked for a more effective approach, and this is the strategy we’ve developed,” Bennett said at a press conference on Wednesday, as reported by the Washington Post.
The new program pairs the birth-control bait with traditional poisons to both reduce the current rat numbers and prevent future litters. Many residents support the initiative, with some expressing fear so intense that they cannot handle even a dead rodent. One local told NBC, “There was a dead rat in my yard a couple of weeks ago, and I had to call a friend to go get it for me. I can’t even look at it. It’s terrifying.”
Other cities have seen early success using similar methods. Reports from Chicago and New York City suggest rat populations can be noticeably reduced when pharmaceutical interventions are combined with broader urban management practices, including composting requirements, public education campaigns, and rat-proof trash bins, according to Joshua Goodman from New York City’s Department of Sanitation.
Bennett emphasized that bait alone will not solve the problem if residents continue to leave food waste accessible. Trash should be secured and food scraps kept off streets, she said, and locals are encouraged to contact 311 to report rat burrows, holes, or clusters.
