Last week we checked out that hotbed of hard news, Inside Edition, as they visited our fair city and shined the bright light of truth on the District’s rat problem. Today the Examiner reports from the front lines of the war on rodents and concludes that we’re losing. From all four quadrants the perennial urban menaces — sometimes the size of small dogs — are scurrying about, causing various levels of disgust and panic.
How is the city dealing with public outcries? “We’re declaring a war on rats,” said Leila Abrar, a spokesman for the Health Department. Another city official, Pamela Keller, told the Examiner, “It’s not totally unexpected to see more rats in the warm weather. More rat babies, people leave more food around. It’s not a war we can win by ourselves.”
Perhaps drug companies should be coming up with some form of rat birth control. Back in those innocent days of summer 2005, the city released a handy pamphlet outlining ways good citizens can to thwart those dirty menaces. Along with common sense advice that everyone should follow, like don’t leave food around, they also recommend buying poison, snap traps and even calling your own professional exterminator. All this sounds like a serious investment in weapons, while the city doesn’t have a clear plan to win the war on city-wide scale. Apparently they agree that you go to war with the army you have, not the army you want.
The District’s primary tool for finding rats is their hotline, (202) 727-1000, and a form for reporting areas of infestation. Once the Department of Health gets your notice, they promise to respond with an investigation in 15 days. But it’s what happens next that caught our attention. The rat report is placed into one of three categories: vector control, serious problem and chronic problem. From there it could take up to a year from the city to chase away your invading critters. At least the DOH knows how to manage expectations.
So how do you fight rats? Has anyone had experience with the ominously titled Office of Vector Control? Can Inside Edition, or perhaps Geraldo Rivera save our city?
Photo of monster rat on I st. by Flickr user Daquella Manera used under Creative Commons license.
