Albany Park Launches Volunteer-Led Rat Birth Control Program to Combat Infestation
Albany Park, a neighborhood in Chicago, has initiated a volunteer-driven rat birth control program to address its significant rat infestation. This program involves residents, such as Lark Digges-Elliot, who were concerned about the rat problem and sought non-toxic solutions. Volunteers are trained to maintain 40 rat birth control bait boxes distributed throughout the area. Each week, these volunteers replace plant-based sausages, made with cottonseed oil, inside the bait boxes. This method aims to reduce fertility in both male and female rats over time. Albany Park is the third Chicago neighborhood to partner with the Arizona-based company SenesTech for this initiative, following Lincoln Park and the Wicker Park-Bucktown area. The bait boxes are strategically placed in alleyways along commercial corridors and near the Kimball Brown Line train station, with entrances specifically designed for rats.
