BOSTON — New video captured by Boston 25 News shows rats running rampant in broad daylight in Boston amid renewed calls for a dedicated “rat czar” in the city.
The footage shows rats crawling near people’s doorways, under cars, and through garbage bags in the South End.
Rodents were also seen attempting to crawl up into vehicles from underneath.
District 2 Boston City Councilor Ed Flynn describes a “significant increase in 311 calls regarding rodents” and said it’s currently the number one complaint citywide.
“I’ve received emails and calls from residents about rats in their house, literally on the crib where the baby is at. If that’s not a priority I don’t know what is,” Flynn told Boston 25 News.
Councilor Flynn called for a hearing this week in his latest push for a standalone pest control department in Boston and a “rat czar” to take the helm.
It comes after a recent Tufts University study found rats in Boston are spreading Leptospirosis, a potentially deadly disease.
“It’s just disgusting!,” said South End resident Wendy Hamm. “They’re out all the time. It’s not just at night.”
Hamm said the rat activity has been out of control near her home on Montgomery Street behind the McKinley School.
“It’s a feast,” she said. “It seems it’s not being taken very seriously.”
The South End is among the neighborhoods that don’t use garbage bins to take out trash.
Neighbors told Boston 25 News that’s only part of the problem and that trash pickup days aren’t the only time the rats are running wild.
“They say if you see them in the daylight, it is a problem, and we are seeing them in the daylight,” said South End resident Edward Lemay. “The rats aren’t taking the bait in my yard because they’re using it as a highway.”
A city spokesperson told Boston 25 News that over 250 sensors have been deployed citywide to track rodent activity, identify hot spots, and evaluate the impact of mitigation strategies.
Several neighborhood-specific interventions currently underway include sewer traps deployed in the Back Bay and North End and surface traps installed in Chinatown alleys
According to the city, ISD has conducted over 1431 site cleanliness inspections across neighborhoods, and more than 2639 rodent-related 311 complaints have been addressed over the past year.
“The City is continuing to take an all-of-government approach to reduce the rat population across Boston’s neighborhoods and keep our neighborhoods safe and clean for residents, families, businesses, and visitors. This summer, we are coordinating across departments to deploy several innovative, neighborhood-specific measures to address rodent hot spots,” said a statement from a city spokesperson.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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