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Washington, D.C. is putting rats on birth control in an effort to combat an infestation, the D.C. Health announced in a statement obtained by NBC Washington on Thursday (April 2).
The city will begin using birth control and lethal bait in food and a powder form in Adams Morgan, an area especially populated by the rats during the infestation.
"We’re gonna get the rat population down and then we’re gonna come back in three weeks to see if any of those babies survived and get them too. But, they cannot stay down if they find anything to eat. So that means everybody cannot be throwing food on the ground. The mayor doesn’t like it and it’s helping the rats. We don’t want your trash to be outside of the bin, if at all possible," DC Health Director Ayanna Bennett said via NBC Washington.
Several desperate residents expressed support of the move.
"Yes, fantastic! If it’s good enough for humans, then then it’s good enough for rats, I think. Like, why not? Get rid of them," one woman told NBC Washington.
"Anything that they can do to help limit the rats I would probably be in favor of," one man said. "I’ve never heard of it. I trust that the science is real. But if it is, the less rats in D.C. is a good thing."
DC Health said any resident who sees holes or burrows in their yard or a large concentration of rats is advised to call 311 and make a report.