Planned Rathood: A Pill a Day Keeps the Rats Away

The Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation (DSS) introduced a Rat Contraceptive Pilot Program to limit North Side rodent populations. The project launched in August and will be in the research phase until the end of this year.

Introduced to the 43rd Ward by Alderman Timmy Knudsen, the project is privately funded by the Lincoln Park Zoo, WISDOM Good Works and the Chicago Bird Alliance with the support of DSS. The non-toxic pill comes in the form of food pellets called WISDOM Good Bites and was developed and produced by the non-profit WISDOM Good Works, according to the Chicago Bird Alliance. The organization aims to control animal populations through the use of fertility-control technology.

The current strategy for mitigating rat populations is handled through the DSS. Residents, city officials and alderpeople can request a certain area be baited for rodents. Once DSS locates each burrow, rodenticide is planted. Burrows will then become inactive over a set period of time, according to Deputy Commissioner for Rodent Control at the DSS Gloria Pittman.

If areas are overpopulated with rodents, DSS will place flyers on residents’ doors to gain consent to bait outside areas of their property, according to Pittman.

“We can change their garbage cans, we can clean the alleys, but if we can’t get into the yards where the rodents are, then we do what we can outside of residential areas,” Pittman said. “Our biggest challenge is the homeowners letting us inside.”

Last year, Pittman was approached by Knudsen to partake in the project. All of the partnered organizations said they would fund the project if it was successful, according to Pittman.

The contraception pills will be placed inside rodent boxes with cameras to monitor activity. 

“The major artery of the project is to see if the contraceptive actually works,” Pittman said.

Third-year nursing major Kristina Suarez said she’s noticed the rat issue on campus, particularly near the train tracks.

“I think it’s very common to just walk down the street and see a rat,” Suarez said. “I’d say focus on the subways first, and then go to the alleyways.”

Third-year biology major Jasmine Fuentes said she’s concerned the contraceptive pills pose a safety risk.

“I think they should definitely disclose more information about it instead of just throwing it at us,” Fuentes said. “We don’t know if it’s gonna harm humans or other animals.”

Pittman said no safety concerns have yet been detected since the project is still in its research phase.

Director of Public Affairs at the DSS Ryan Gage said general information on the program won’t be released to the public yet as it is still in the collection and research phase.

“Based on where we’re at with the study only being about a month old, we’re not even focused on the long-term implementation yet,” Gage said. “We really need to wait and see what the data says in terms of if it’s successful, sustainable or if it can be continued financially as well.”

Ward Director for the 49th Ward Alderwoman Maria Hadden Shenicka Hohenkirk said there are concerns from constituents about the preexisting populations of rats that could affect new infrastructure projects at Loyola.

 “We’ve gotten complaints in one specific area which is the Loyola campus on the intersection between Broadway and Devon,” Hohenkirk said. “We try to work with our ward superintendent who can do the rat abatement and solidify a lot of our issues that we’re seeing.”

Hohenkirk said she wants to make sure the ward does proper research to get the most effective results from the program. If the research provides an improved alternative to rodenticides, the city will know what to prepare for and what the impacts will be. 

Graduate student and Rogers Park local Pippa Carcas said she wants access to more information on the pilot plan.

“If they had more information like leaflets that could educate people on the plan I’d feel more comfortable,” Carcas said.

The plan to implement rat contraceptives in Rogers Park hasn’t been confirmed at this time, according to Pittman. 

Although Chicago deals with rodent issues, Pittman and Gage said they want locals to know Chicago’s title of the “rattiest city” is a myth.

While other cities are charged for rodent removal, the DSS provides repeat coverage services free of charge. Services are provided to residents through the city of Chicago’s budget, according to Pittman.

“It’s essentially an advertising tactic by a private company, so the rankings were based on the volume of their service calls,” Gage said. “Unlike other cities, requests are submitted through the 311 system, enabling DSS to track every single request in Chicago.”

This year’s data was collected by tracking new residential rodent treatments from Sept. 1, 2023, to Aug. 31, 2024. Chicago’s abundance of alleys and large amounts of hiding spaces allow rodents to easily burrow beneath subway tracks and around underground pipes. This data helps Orkin better understand how likely homeowners in each city are to have a rodent problem, according to Orkin’s annual rankings.

Once the project expands, the 49th Ward and Hadden are open to creating programs or resources that will benefit the needs of constituents of all ages, races and backgrounds while trying their best to be as diplomatic as possible, according to Hohenkirk.

“We have a very good, integrated pest management approach to solving this war on rodents,” Pittman said.