Boston Got Rats! Looking to Hire Rat Czar to Tackle Ongoing Rat Problem in the City
Okay, until yesterday I had no idea what a rat czar was. But one thing is for sure. Boston has a rat problem. It’s been an ongoing issue for years,…
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Okay, until yesterday I had no idea what a rat czar was. But one thing is for sure. Boston has a rat problem.
It's been an ongoing issue for years, and it's only getting worse. It's getting so bad now, that City Councilor Ed Flynn is looking to create a "rat czar" position. The position would put one key person in charge to help combat the city's rat problem.
Boston is consistently in the top of Orkin's list of one of the rattiest cities in the country. If you live in and around Boston, you have definitely seen at least one rat in your lifetime. This is obviously not ideal and up until now, pest control is controlled by the Department of Public Works, inspectional services and the water and sewer commission. But Flynn thinks there needs to be one person in charge of just the rat population in the city, and he's looking to get an ordinance passed that would do just that. A city council meeting took place at noon Wednesday to determine if this was possible.
Boston for sure has a major rat problem. Last year, according to Orkin, Boston was #13 on the list. Let's take a look at the entire list and find out if your favorite city is on it.
Boston is one of the rattiest cities in America. Well, not just rats. In a recent study by New York-based pest inspector Doctor Sniffs, Boston ranks fourth on a list of the most pest-infested cities in America. Not a great and prestigious list to be on. Definitely not something we should be bragging about. The study actually analyzed census data from 2021 specifically when it came to rat and cockroach infestations. According to a statement from Doctor Sniffs: “The city faced 417.8 rat sightings and 74.4 cockroach sightings across a year time frame."
As nasty as that sounds, Doctor Sniffs also analyzed strictly rat infestations in each city and New York City is ranked #1 for the most rats in America. I don't believe this is too surprising a statistic. There were 1225 rat sightings in New York City during the analyzing period.
This is nothing new for Boston. Just last year, Boston was named the 13th "rattiest" city in America according to a study from Orkin. Rodent infestations become more severe of an issue in the fall and winter months so it seems as if Boston's pest problem will only get worse in the coming months. The other issue with these types of infestations is the fact that these pests carry diseases like Salmonella and Hantavirus.
So what should you do to control the pest population in your city? First off, CLEAN! Do NOT leave trash or litter or even uncovered trash cans in and around your apartment or house. Store all food in containers and leave NO food out on any surface. Make sure your plumbing has no leaks. And close off places where pests can hide. That being said, below are the most pest-infested cities in America. Thinking none of these cities will surprise anyone. Boston continues to be in the top 10.
#10 New York City
New York City and ninth place of San Francisco had a combined pest sighting rate of 27.2 per 100,000 residents “and a staggering 1,164.9 rat sightings, and 1,225.7 cockroach sightings, the highest on the list for both pest sightings throughout 2021.”
#9 San Francisco
New York City and ninth place of San Francisco had a combined pest sighting rate of 27.2 per 100,000 residents “and a staggering 1,164.9 rat sightings, and 1,225.7 cockroach sightings, the highest on the list for both pest sightings throughout 2021.”
#7 Dallas
Rats have been known to be the most commonly reported rodent and/or pest nuisance in the state of Texas. Dallas is home to two different types of rats: Brown rats and black rats.
#6 Houston
Rats have been known to be the most commonly reported rodent and/or pest nuisance in the state of Texas. No surprise that Houston is also in the top 10 along with Dallas.
#5 Riverside, CA
There have been reported cases of viruses spread by rat/mice droppings in Riverside.
#4 Boston
According to Doctor Sniffs: “The city faced 417.8 rat sightings and 74.4 cockroach sightings across a year time frame."
#3 Washington D.C.
The complaints about rats have spiked in the past year. This is due to the rise in restaurants in D.C. They also attribute it to more people working from home which means eating from home and not disposing of trash properly.
#2 Miami
Miami is the second most populated city in Florida so this is no surprise. Rats go where people go unfortunately.
#1 Atlanta
Congratulations Atlanta, YOU WIN! Atlanta tops the list with a combined pest sighting rate of 165.9 per 100,000 residents.
