Last updated on July 10, 2024
Pointing to Jamaica Plain pilot program that significantly reduced rats, Boston City Councilors want to deploy birth control for rats across the city.
UniversalHub.com reports that District 5 City Councilor Enrique Pepén and At-Large Councilor Ruthzee Louijeune want to lower the growing rat population by growing started in JP last year. The program allegedly led to a 80% reduction in rats. The councilors pitched the idea during the weekly Boston City Council meeting on Wednesday.
The pilot program was operated by leaving sugar-coated rat-specific birth control pellets along some blocks in Hyde Square, including Cranston Street. And female rats took the bait, and stopped ovulating, reported UniversalHub.com.
During the meeting, Louijeune said, “…she’s been on dozens of ‘rat walks’ in Jamaica Plain, said the more than two dozen birth-control stations in JP had to be outfitted with special cages that would let rats in but not raccoons and squirrels, not because the substance is harmful to those animals but because they were eating so much that there wasn’t enough left for the rats,” reported UHub.com.
